Clash of the Gardens
by Stardust Ray
Summary: AU The fate of many warriors destined to battle in the greatest war of all time. Greed, Fear, Anger, Hope, and Love all clash as one and every man receives his own revelation but one hardened SeeD must confront his darkest fears.SquallRinoaComplete
1. Part 1: Fear

_**Clash of the Gardens**_

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_**Prologue**_

_It was a shadowy day filled with ominous clouds in the skies above. The people of Timber were used to seeing these cloudy skies. They witnessed the recklessness of their unwelcome President Vinzer Deling, who had run their hometown for almost two decades now. It was a wonder he ruled for so many consecutive years. _

_Despite his longing control, there were many people who opposed living under his leadership. Most people of Timber gathered together and formed the Resistance Factions, but there were others that gave in the fight and accepted their harsh reality. Because Deling held the power of the military within his grasp and could order the destruction of Timber's people at anytime, more people eventually lost all hope. _

_As the years progressed, most of the older men and women no longer fought against his ruling, and had rather die in peace. _

_Finally after many long years of suffering, the youths of Timber recreated the Resistance Factions, disregarding the warnings of the elders, and had started plans for the Factions; however, the young members of these factions proved to be more intelligent than their elders, for they contacted outside sources to help battle off the President and his minions. They sought freedom, but only wanted to obtain freedom through peace talks, but in the end, it was impossible to stand up to the Galbadian Military alone._

_With such a vast military under his rule, Deling was able to conquer most of the western continent. Because he was such a greedy president, he sought to gain control over the entire western continent, but failed to conquer the city of Dollet, which was a harbor town belonging to a chain of Harbor Cities under Balamb's protection. Dollet had signed a contract with Balamb many years before the President had been elected, and the town has never regretted belonging to Balamb. _

_Balamb City, located on the central continent, had recently lost a war to Esthar, which in result forced Balamb to give Esthar full control of Fisherman's Horizon, another one of the Harbor Cities. Since then, Esthar has been able to safely transport its citizens and goods with trains back and forth from the western continent to their home on the eastern region of the ocean._

_President Deling wishes only to take control of every town located on western continent, and to make those who did not live in Deling City, which is his hometown, slaves to his master plan of building constructions throughout Galbadia's glorious lands. Citizens of those cities were ordered to remain stationary, and if any person went against these orders, they would be downsized. _

_Now, the New Faction Alliances decided to contact one of the Garden Facilities for help. There were three Gardens to choose from at the time; one Garden was deeply associated with the Galbadian Military, Galbadia Garden, it would be a waste of time to contact them, and because Balamb had recently ended its war against Esthar, they felt that during these times the Garden would need rest. The only obvious Garden left to contact was Trabia Garden, and though it is located miles away from Timber, it was as reliable as contacting Balamb._

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After the decision to ask for Trabia's assistance, the Factions prepared a secret meeting with Trabia's Headmaster who had personally promised to help their desperate situation. The Factions were overjoyed and could not believe the successfulness of their achievement. For the first time, outsiders had offered to aid in their struggle. The people agreed to meet at Pub in Timber called the _Aurora_. The day of their meeting approached quickly. 

With their nervousness contained, the young faction members secretly guided the Headmaster to the Pub. They managed to get the man inside and sat him down quickly. He looked around the room first and took a deep breath.

"Whom is your leader, or leaders? Tell me, what have you prepared to say to Deling? How will you persuade him to release you from under his governmental control?"

"First off, I'm Zone, and that's Watts!" The brunette pointed to a young gentleman wearing a blue cap and continued, "Deling doesn't care about our health, poverty is growing by the minute, and there is no way to get a job with these soldiers breathing down our backs; and let's not forget about the pollution." The young man leaned in closely to the Headmaster, seriousness burning fiercely within his eyes, "Rumor has it that he's planning to build more to Timber, but nothing of _our _favor, more like our deaths. He's going to build factories!"

"Yes, I believe I've heard about that. He's building a factory to supply you all with jobs, though it is only a scam to silence your complaints." The Headmaster spoke with a sigh.

"Precisely. But that factory will cause even more pollution than we have now--"

"And, quite frankly, we can't take it anymore!" Watts finished Zone's words.

"I understand exactly." The headmaster said with a nod. " If the President doesn't agree with you all, then my forces will need to take action, indeed. In case it leads to violence, please know that Trabia Garden will stand behind to give a helping hand."

"Thank you. We really appreciate you giving us your time. From all of us at Timber 's Factions, we thank you." Excitedly, Zone rose from his seat and copied the SeeD salute.

"It is no problem at all. I will write up a contract and send it to you, A.S.A.P. Does that sound good?"

"It's very good, sir. Thanks!" Watts said, with more enthusiasm than Zone.  
The Headmaster nodded and stood from his seat. He saluted the Faction Members with a personalized Garden SeeD salute. With the exchange of honor, each man took in the responsibility of a thousand lives at his hands. Suddenly, a woman's scream in an attempt to get away from her attacker, resounded throughout the town of Timber.

"Galbadians!" Another person called out. In an instant, everyone stood to their feet and ran out to help. Galbadian soldiers rushed through Timber and slaughtered those who posed a threat to them. The Headmaster looked around for his personal SeeD and saw them lending a helping hand to the citizens. He found himself sighing in relief as his men fought for the people with dignity and loyalty by his side. Seeing his fighting men, he decided to join them, and help to drive out the Galbadian soldiers; however, before he could move to draw his weapon, there was a gunshot fired. His vision blurred as he knelt down to the ground. He had been shot in the back of his neck and was beginning to bleed excessively. One of his men turned around and saw him kneeling on the ground.

"No!" He shouted and ran to him, but was shot by the same soldier. The second SeeD looked at her fallen comrades and managed to escape the Galbadian's wrath unseen. With the Resistance Factions still battling the Soldiers, no one noticed or even heard the great swooshing sounds from above.

"Pull back, Men! Pull back!" The Captain of the Galbadian Soldiers called out.

"Sir! She's not here!" A lower ranked Soldier cried to the captain wearing his brown coat and a sinister face. He held a razor edged weapon known as the Gunblade, which had been known to be the last thing many men saw within their last moments of life.

"Forget about her, she probably knew we were coming! Let's go!" He yelled as he ran and led the men outside of Timber. They ran onto the hills and plains surrounding the polluted town.

Only those civilians who survived the attack remained with their mere tools of weapons. Few of them laughed at the forces that were retreating. They had begun to celebrate until one person looked up and saw missiles in the sky headed directly to Timber. The people screamed and panicked, but it was too late. When the missiles hit, it looked as if they had bounced off the ground and flew straight into the sky, but only to fall right back down with a great explosion. Those who were too scared to run had stood in one spot, watched the missiles gracefully fly up, but point their noses to the ground and fall. One missile was targeted at the pub, and the other to Timber Maniacs. These were targeted as suspected meeting points between the Headmaster of Trabia and the Faction Members.

The buildings exploded and came crashing down. Pieces of brick, metal, and glass flew everywhere. Most of the people were hit and hardly any of them survived with out so much as a scratch. The Galbadians watched the people of Timber rise and fall together in one day. The Captain of the troops watched with a wicked smile on his face. He looked at the men while running a hand through his blonde hair, and gestured them with the same hand, to move out. Together, they would head back to Galbadia and bring their leader the good news: Trabia Garden's Headmaster and the Factions were finished.

The SeeD from Trabia managed to hide herself carefully amongst the hills of Timber. She watched as the Galbadians left in their vehicles and slowly, while in an orderly fashion, headed out to Galbadia Garden. Her heart went out to the people of Timber, but she needed to get back to Trabia and deliver the terrible news.

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Days after the incident, things began to go out of control. Trabia's SeeDs were outraged at the lost of their Headmaster. It was now up to the newest leader, the Highest Ranking Officer, to take control. It was he that declared war on Galbadia, not because of Timber, and not because of all those people of Timber had died. It was because they had lost the leader and father figure of Trabia Garden. 

Galbadia agreed that war was the best solution. Confident of his victory, Deling thought it would be a great idea to take over the icy northern continent of Trabia Garden as well. The old man smiled and looked at the X marked over Timber. He didn't want the entire city destroyed, but he _did_ want most of the population to decrease. Timber was made up of mostly Resistance Members anyway, so just how much of a big lost would it be? The old man had chuckled to himself and took a seat behind his desk, sighing in satisfaction, "Yes, things _are_ going to change around here. Things will go my way, as planned."

He smiled and looked at the map on his desk. Anyone with as much power as himself would have a smile as bright as the sun, also. But he wanted the entire western continent; he wanted everything. His greediness was beginning to show whilst he looked at the places that weren't his. He could count the towns that obeyed _his_ orders on _one_ hand, though still too little for him. He looked down at the map, and his eyes fell on Dollet. Oh how he wished he could have Dollet.

"Dollet's harbor! There are money opportunities all over that town. Shipping and trading goods, boat rides, and that luxury hotel that I've stayed in a few times; yes, it could all be mine. Dollet is the last piece of this continent…" He sat back in his cushioned chair and sighed, "But it is under the protection of Balamb. If I approach Dollet, then Balamb will strike." He looked around the room as if searching for inspiration. A few moments later, he licked his lips and smiled, "…Balamb's forces have been weakened due to the battle against Esthar. …Ah…it's about time." The President smiled to himself and picked up a piece of paper. He would begin his letter of a new proposal to his General, and those who stood of great powers in Galbadia's Alliances.

Only two days after the President wrote his letter, Balamb received a notice from Galbadia. Galbadia had declared war on Balamb over the rights to Dollet. The Headmaster of Balamb was stunned, and could not reply to the letter that was sent to him so quickly. He sighed at the sad news, and could only find himself thinking: _More lives lost._

Balamb had suffered a considerable amount of damage, and were in no shape to handle a war; however, the headmaster knew he could not let the people of Dollet down. He sighed once again and looked down at the slip he received from Galbadia once more.

He rose from his desk and walked to the window of his office. From upstairs, he could see his SeeDs, no, his students on their daily routine. Some had just gotten over the lost of their friends from the previous war.

One year had passed since the war of rights to Fisherman's Horizon between Balamb and Esthar. Even then the Headmaster did not wish to wage war, but it was needed, seeing that their president was desperate for settlement. To avoid the peace at all costs, he wondered what kind of man could run that country. So many people were injured and many lives were lost. The old man stood in front of his window, looking down upon his Garden with a sad face.

_How am I going to tell them?_ He thought to himself. Just then, the doors opened and in walked a young woman with short brown hair. She was the head of SeeD, the Commander of Operations. The Headmaster turned around quickly and faked a smile.

"Xu, good to see you."

"Good Morning, sir."

"What have you got?" He motioned his face toward the papers in her hands.

"Here are the latest reports from those SeeDs you sent over to Dollet yesterday." She handed him the papers with a smile, a smile he felt so terrible to break the horrible news to. She noticed the paper lying on his desk and became anxious to know what it was about. She tilted her head toward the paper and asked, "Sir? What did you receive from Galbadia?"

His eyes quickly went from the papers in his hands, to her eyes. She was surprised to see how frightened his eyes had become. She backed away slowly.

"Is it something I'm not supposed to know?"

"No, actually, its something for us all." He took a deep breath and looked at her, "Xu, Galbadia wants us to hand over Dollet, and if we don't…they demand war to settle this matter."

"War?" She looked at the floor and sighed, "Sir, this is terrible. I must inform the others immediately."

"You needn't worrying about that, I'll tell them over the intercom. Gather those whose ranks are above twenty-five for me."  
"Yes, sir."

"And, Xu?" He added on.

"Yes?"

"Please call Squall Leonhart to my office, immediately."

"But sir, he's been suspended for the last two months."

"I'm fully aware of that. _I _was responsible for his suspension. I've looked over these reports from Dollet by the SeeD I sent out before the others, and there's something here that's haunting me."  
"I understand. I'll get right onto my assignment, sir." She saluted him.

"All right, dismissed." He nodded.

She walked out of his office, a thousand thoughts running through her mind.

_How in the world can he just give that guy orders? If he's worried about the people's lives, Squall is the last person I'd ever him expect to send out. I thought I was in charge of SeeD around here? What does the headmaster see in him?_

She sighed in disgust and called those whose ranks were twenty-five and above. Among them was a tall blonde woman with a whip folded on her side. She was quiet while standing in line. As Xu looked around at the SeeDs who had gathered and began to count them up, she and this woman constantly exchanged glances. Xu ordered them to state their names and ID numbers while she copied them down. Xu had gotten to the blonde and nodded her head when she was ready for the woman to speak. Xu smirked and wrote on the pad while saying silently, "Quistis." Quistis couldn't help but smile as she called out her ID number. After the roll call, Xu and Quistis met up and talked.

"Xu, what's going on?"

"The Headmaster hasn't decided yet, but we may be getting ready for war against Galbadia." Xu was careful as she spoke, constantly looking around in case someone had been listening in. Quistis' heart almost stopped and she faced Xu.

"Are you serious?"

"Of course, but you can't say anything." Xu waved her hand.

"This is horrible…" Quistis sighed and looked at the floor while folding her arms, "One battle after the other. It seems like we're never finished."

"We have to be prepared for anything."

"Understood, but I only hope our forces can manage this stress."

"I agree. Our forces--oh wait, I have one more thing to do. I'll talk to you later, Quistis."

"…Alright, Xu."

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Xu walked quickly to the dormitories of Balamb Garden and headed through the halls. Finally she came across his door and knocked hard. 

"Squall." She said as she knocked. She banged on the door this time, "Leonhart, open up! That's an order!" Xu became angry and waited a few more seconds, but Squall wasn't in his room. He had been training in the Training Center ever since he was suspended.

Even after all that time had passed, Squall was still angry because he wasn't able to participate in any missions. The Training Center had become his new mission, and he would train until the day he became eligible to go out into the field again. Squall was suspended before because he disobeyed orders. He was only supposed to eliminate one target, but instead, wiped out the entire group.

A SeeD request slip came in from Dollet, stating that their had been a group of thieves whose hideout sat right outside of town. The people couldn't fight them off, and were threatened by the explosives this group owned. Squall was given the order to take out the culprit. When he observed the group for himself, he noticed that there was another man whose position seemed to be right under the leader. Squall knew that even if he had taken out their leader, the crimes would continue in the near future. The only option he had was to eliminate the two men. The others looked like cowards anyway, but as Squall attacked them, he was surprised to see how strong the men actually were.

Out of defense, Squall exterminated the leader and his gang; however, he was suspended for disobeying his orders. He could have been released, but the Headmaster showed some compassion for the young SeeD and made things easier on him. Squall was in the midst of slaughtering the creatures within the Training Center when Xu had interrupted him. She was quiet for a second, and he saw her through the corner of his eye. She cleared her throat before beginning to give him his orders. Squall sheathed his gunblade and turned to her, giving her his full attention.

"Headmaster Cid wishes to speak with you in his office right away." As soon as she had spoken, Squall nodded and walked passed her. He was known for being quiet within the garden, but most of those who had worked with him in the past, knew how he could be whilst on the battlefield. He was the best field SeeD during the war against Esthar. All of the troops seemed to follow his lead though he was never in full charge. Squall had earned respect throughout the Garden, but never allowed anyone to praise him. He disliked having people applaud his skills, and whether they believed it or not, Squall only thought of the war with his comrades, as one; his only concern was beating the enemy. Being a SeeD was his life; the wars and battles weren't a race for fame, but a struggle of victory and power.

Squall arrived in the Headmaster's office and looked at the old man. Headmaster Cid smiled and nodded his head, their silent salutations were understood. Cid cleared his throat and looked at Squall, "…How do you feel?"  
"Never been better."

"Had a good break?" Squall simply nodded to his question. "Good. Squall, here is the situation…I have received a SeeDs' letter from Dollet, which states that Timber has been hit by missiles from the only place on Gaia with Missiles. Many people have been injured or annihilated." Cid stopped to take a breath before speaking again. He was not surprised to see that Squall's face had not changed. It remained as blank as it were when he first arrived in the room. He grunted before continuing to speak, "The SeeD has asked for our assistance. There have been some Galbadian troops still in Timber, and I want you to take care of them. Everyone is suspecting that Galbadia must be looking for something in Timber because the soldiers are keeping a careful watch on the surviving citizens." He took a deep breath, "You're to head to Timber, find out what Galbadia is up to, and rid the town of the few soldiers that remain. Understand?"

"Understood. Sir, I have a question."

"Sure."

"Why would Galbadia strike Timber? Isn't it a part of their associates? And also, are there others who are accompanying me? What about the SeeD who called in?"

"There are many Resistance Factions living within Timber, perhaps _that _was a reason to launch the attack. As far as forming a team, that would only happen if you want others to go with you to Timber."

"No sir, I can handle this mission alone."

"I knew you would prefer it that way, that's why I didn't bother to ask you, Squall." Cid joked with the young SeeD. "However, I would prefer you make sure the SeeD stationed in Dollet is safe."

"Yes, sir."

"Be careful out there, Leonhart." Squall only saluted the Headmaster and headed to the exit. Cid sighed and took a seat at his desk as he thought to himself once more. _Another war._

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****Author's Corner:**

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_**Yes, I know…I just finished this story, but because a few people suggested it…I figured I'd go through and separate the chapters. I don't want anyone to develop some sort of eye cancer because of this lengthy story, so now…I have managed to separate it to the best of my abilities and corrected some things that needed changing. I apologize to anyone who might have been in the midst of this story, but I will have you know that it will return…quite possibly, better than it was before. **_

_**Now to those of you who asked me to shorten it a bit, I now ask that you speak out and let me know if this is okay. I really mean it.**_

_**Thanks to everyone who reviewed before, and thanks to those of you who will review. **_

_**Stardust Ray.**_

_**BTW: I didn't think people tried to read all that before in one day…Geez, it was a lot to read! Anyway, review me please. : )**_


	2. Involvement

_**Clash of the Gardens**_

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_Involvement_

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Later on that day that Squall caught the train to Timber. The trains were up and running again after the horrific bombing of Timber took place. It was amazing how many people had come out to help clear the train tracks of debris that was scattered farther away from Timber. 

Squall looked out of the window as he waited to arrive in Timber. As the Train traveled underneath the ocean, darkness filled the windows. He decided to take a seat in the SeeD Cabin, even though the darkness hadn't bothered him.

_Why would he suddenly call me for a job? An investigating job at that… _He thought to himself as he took a seat in the SeeD cabin. _Well, It's not like I won't get any action at all. I'm just glad I'm out of Garden for a change. _He looked at his Gunblade and smirked. _Just you and me… _

The Griever carving on the side of his gunblade seemed to glow in a silvery ray, which shot to his ring, a ring that he had kept for a long time. He turned the ring on his finger round and smiled slightly. It was the only thing that ever gave him comfort.

The Griever, a symbol of strength and pride, it was the only thing that he had ever entrusted his own feelings to. The passion, the secrets, and the regrets were all cast in this ring. His precious ring would never leave his hand, and it would be the only thing that would have his heart.

The train ride came to a close, stopping earlier than the intended stop. He stepped out of the SeeD Cabin and looked through the window. Half of Timber was a mess and people were everywhere. He wasn't sure what these people were doing, mostly crying aloud and holding bloody corpses. My God, these people were grieving. Not only were they crying for the lost souls, but also they were being driven away by the Galbadian Army. It looked as if the G-Army had not allowed them to properly begin burial for these bodies. It seemed as if they would probably never have a chance to do say their goodbyes.

Just as the Train stopped, it was met by a few military troops who had gathered to check each of the cars. Squall sheathed his gunblade and quickly got off the trains as the conductor released the doors. He managed to sneak by a few soldiers who were checking the identification cards of others who were onboard and traveling from Balamb City. Quickly, Squall disappeared into the crowds of Timber's mourning civilians.

Within seconds he witnessed the G-Army push an old woman from her dying husband with unnecessary force. If there was one thing that he cared about, it was defenseless people being preyed upon by pathetic soldiers. He soon realized that there were too many soldiers around, and if he had carried out an attack, he would be killed instantly. He turned away from the scene and soon lost himself amongst the crowds.

Around the sights of the destroyed Pub were a few soldiers ordered to search through the remainders for anything that would prove that the Factions were planning an attack against Galbadia.

"I don't see anything but blood!" One soldier called out.

"Yeah, this is truly a terrible sight."

"Quit your whining and keep searching!" Ordered the Captain.

The soldier soon became occupied again after thinking about some terrible things that he could do to the captain; He was so tempted to turn around and spit at the man's shoes, but he looked back and saw the captain glaring at him. The thought melted away quickly, and he continued to look through the pile of rubble. Suddenly, there was something that dangled and caused the Sun's ray to shine brightly into the working soldier's eyes, and he looked up quickly while blocking his face. In an instant, the sun's ray had vanished. He looked toward the quick flash curiously and thought he saw a few fingers from behind a broken wall that once was the backdoor way of the Pub. The soldier wiped his eyes and made questionable sigh. When The Captain heard him, he threw a piece of brick at the man's head.

"Ow!" The soldier cried.

"Get back to work and stop daydreaming!"

"I'm not daydreaming, sir! I think I just saw someone!"

"Where?" The Captain dropped his tone.

"Over by that there wall."

"…" The Captain became quiet and looked back at his men. He raised three of his fingers and nodded to his men. Three of the Soldiers standing guard nodded along with him then quietly parted from their Captain.

On the other side of the wall stood a young woman who had grabbed a ring that dangled on a chain she wore. She took a deep breath and opened her eyes that were closed as she realized the soldier had seen her hiding. _Not now! _She thought to herself. _I was so close…No. I'm not giving up, yet. I have to find the others! _

Before she could move, three soldiers appeared surrounding her. She gasped and took off running. One soldier grabbed her and the other pointed a gun directly near her face. She looked at the gun and then to the man who had aimed it to her. She smirked as a bolt of lighting struck the soldier. He fell down quickly. As he fell, she moved her arm up and aimed her weapon at the other soldier who was right across from the fallen soldier. "Let me go, or else!"

The man released her from his arms and she backed away, still aiming her Pinwheel at the two of them. Quickly, she glanced back and found that no one was behind her; now would be a good time to run.

She cast a sleep spell on the soldier who had once held her, and she glared at the other before turning back to run away. To her surprise, the Captain stood right behind her this time. She cursed herself for not looking back a second time to ensure her own safety.

The captain held her arms and began walking up the stairs away from the Pub. He smiled while looking at his prey, and for a mere second she could see that impish grin of his. Her stomach cringed in agony. "Let go of me! Now! I demand that you let go of me!"

"I'm afraid I cannot. You are clearly a member of the Notorious Resistance Factions. You are to be placed under arrest, and sent to the D-District Prison, right away."

"Please. I can't go there! Help! Help!" She began to scream at the top of her lungs.

"Shut up! – Ugh!"

"Huh!" That was the only thing to leave her mouth, as she was surprised at the Captain's sudden cry.

He had been walking and observing the bodies on the ground. Even though he was apart of a war no longer than a year ago, this was a more gruesome sight. Was it because these people were innocent? They were mere citizens; whereas, the lifeless bodies on the plains of a battlefield were soldiers, they were prepared to die.

These men, women, and children were scattered everywhere. It was like seeing a massacre, a horrible sight, and one that he would never want to witness again. Looking at around at all the bodies made him wonder about the survivors. It seemed like the survivors had no reason to remain living at all. The soldiers took what pride it meant to be a survivor, and through it away. Beating, shoving, and starving them, this was no way to treat anyone. Squall looked at these people and sighed, wanting to smite all those soldiers to their graves in an instant. From afar he could hear another cry, a scream of a young woman being tormented by a soldier. It was enough, no more of these people being harassed by these weak soldiers. They weren't soldiers at all, and they had no right to be labeled that way.

Quickly, Squall ran over to the Soldier holding the woman's hands behind her back. He brought forth his gunblade and struck the man to the ground. Instantly the man fell down without another word. Squall looked at him and took a deep breath. _No more. _He thought to himself and turned away from the woman. He didn't want anything to do with these people, but he couldn't go about letting them receive this kind of punishment from these heartless soldiers. Was it heartless of him to think this way? No, it wasn't heartless at all. Squall was only here to fulfill his mission. He would move on to his the next target. And since the Soldier was dressed in a red uniform, he seemed to be a soldier of greater power than the standard blue.

His gripped tightened around the handle of his gunblade, as he looked at all the remaining soldiers while walking away from the female who was now grabbing his hand and crying.

He looked back at her and took his hand back. He never enjoyed being touched by anyone.

"Thank you…" She said in a small voice.

"…" He never looked at her face, but he saw her kneeling down. "It was…" He sighed and walked away from her. "It was nothing." She looked up from the ground and saw him walking away from her. Who was he? He wasn't in any type of uniform. She suddenly saw where he was headed. He was walking into the direction of the Pub, and waiting there were at least five soldiers. She had to do something to warn him. Quickly, she got to her feet and ran behind him.

"Hey, you!" She shouted and ran around to see his face, his blank face. For a second, his face seemed to disturb her. She could tell that for only a second, she was bothering him.

"…What is it?" His voice was calm. Calmed? Like he hadn't just taken the life of a soldier. She couldn't believe how a man would remain calm after just striking a person down with ease. She realized that he had to have done this before. Even though he hadn't been in uniform, he had to be something. Never minding the fact that he had some skill as a warrior, she realized that he was still heading into a death trap. She had to warn him.

"Don't go that way. There are more soldiers down there."

"Near all that rubble?" He pointed to the destroyed Pub, and to all the soldiers that he clearly saw standing around guarding the area.

"Yeah." She hadn't realized that he could see the danger that lied ahead until she turned to conform where his hand was pointing.

"Okay." He ignored her warning and headed directly into the pit of soldiers. Most of them ran off to attack first, but were quickly struck by magical forces coming from the young man's mouth. The girl stood in amazement as he battled the soldiers. He ran through, slashing them one at a time. Only one remained and he was too frightened to do anything. Squall looked down at him and saw that he wasn't equipped with anything. This man was only digging through the rubble trying to uncover facts about Timber's Factions.

"P-Please, don't kill me!" He cried out. Squall kept his gunblade out, but stared at the man. He could tell in this soldier's eyes that he did not have what it took to reach for any weapon or explosive and take the life of anyone else.

"…What are you doing here?"  
"J-just trying to find documents or evidence that Timber and Trabia were joining forces! It's all I know, I swear! Please, don't kill me!"

"I heard you the first time." Squall looked down at the ground and then to the man. _Perhaps Timber hired Trabia…? They were probably going to fight back using Trabia's help. The attack on the Headmaster was made in order to slow down this plan. Still…so many people died in this attack and they weren't even certain that this rumor is true. Galbadia… _

Squall was becoming annoyed just as he stood in the sight of this soldier. "Stand up." He ordered the terrified man. "Stand up, now!" The soldier rose slowly and looked at this angry man. Squall looked him in the eyes. "Is this the last attack on Timber?"

"H-honestly, I don't know!"

"Get out of here!" Squall pretended to slice the man, but the soldier ran before that slice became real. Quickly, the soldier ran down the train tracks that were next to the Pub. Squall watched as the man became a little speck in the distance, and was sure that he was in the hills far away from Timber by that time. There, present on his face, was a tiny smirk. Despite all the bodies and smells, Squall had found something about Timber to smile about.

He wished he could see all of the Galbadian Soldiers running away for their lives. As he turned around, the smirk on his face slowly faded away. He saw the same young woman whose life he had just spared now crying and holding the hand of someone she clearly seemed to know. She was kneeling and crying in agony, almost like she was dying as well. For a moment, he felt like he could cry right along with her, but he shook his head at the thought and turned away from this horrible sight.

"Zone…Watts…I'm sorry. I knew this was a bad idea. I should have never suggested this plan! I'm sorry!" She cried and rose to her feet. After wiping her eyes, she took a great deep breath. She quieted quickly and left the bodies of her fallen comrades on the ground.

_I'll get them. I swear it. If it's the last thing I do with the last bit of strength in my body, I will defeat Galbadia. Only then, will I find true peace. For you all and myself, this battle isn't over yet! I will not die! _She turned around to see that the man, who helped her just a few moments ago, was nowhere in sight.

As she walked around the town, it seemed like the soldiers were disappearing as well. Then there were a few dying cries and a few bodies dropping, and then there he was. Like a professional with his sword, he was slicing and shooting the men. Shooting? How in the world could he shoot with his sword?

"Gunblade?" She thought aloud. He gave a loud cry and ran toward the charging soldiers, leaping and bringing down his blade in full force. Quickly recovering from the leap, he turned and swung the sword in a circle to knock the soldiers away. Before he could finish them off, he was surprised to see them screaming and being blown away with a wind spell he hadn't cast.

Squall turned around to see that the young woman was standing behind him.

She ran before him and shot her Pinwheel. Like a boomerang, the blade sliced the two soldiers in mid air and returned to her, making contact with its original position. She turned to him and gave a big smile that made him freeze where he stood. She then turned around and saw that there weren't any more soldiers who survived the attack. She sighed and fell to the ground, taking a seat on the bricked streets of Timber. He looked down at her and sheathed his gunblade for the first time in a while. _My objectives are complete; Now to return to Balamb._

Before he could leave the woman who sat on the ground, he heard a light whimper coming from her. He inwardly sighed and turned away from her. There was no way he would listen to any more depressing cries to the dead. He left her as she sat facing the opposite direction. _There might be more soldiers just above the rim of Timber's North Exit. I should go there._ The sound of his footsteps running away caught her attention. She hadn't realized he stood behind her for as long as he did. Once again, she got to her feet and followed this man.

Through the streets he ran, but to his surprise there were only civilians on the streets. The last of the soldiers were leaving on new orders. He hid behind the nearest alley between the stores by the exit of the town. The Galbadian vehicles were on the move and there was nothing else he could do about it. He decided to walk through the back alley of the buildings. He could hear more footsteps on the main street of Timber, and when he turned his attention toward them, he saw her.

She stopped, unaware that he was in the back alley, with her face toward the backs of the vehicles traveling amongst the plains. She dropped to her knees like she had done so many times before. Who knew what was going through her mind at that time.

He looked away and found himself on the outskirts of Timber. Because Timber was filled with Train stops and routes, he found himself sitting at the edge of a track. The sign above him said that these tracks would lead the train to East Academy Stop, and another place that was blurred on the side also. He had given up reading it, and decided to look at the sky.

The air in Timber was terrible, and for a moment, he found himself thinking that he would rather sit in the Fire Cavern for eternity, before staying in Timber for a few days. Staying in Timber for a few days would prove to be difficult _because_ of its air. _"I wonder if the Galbadian's Soldiers will return to this place? There's nothing else for them here. They've demolished the lives and homes of those who once lived here. These people don't have anything left. Cid…why did you send me here?" _

He sighed and twisted his ring once again for the entire day. "What do I do now?" He asked aloud while rising to his feet. There was no way he would stay in this town. Squall walked until he made sure that the pollution had cleared from his nostrils.

* * *

By nightfall he managed to find a spot in the remaining forests surrounding Timber's hills and plains. He looked down on the city as if a guardian. _"I wonder when the Train to Balamb is leaving, and if I should take the next one back to Balamb?" _He leaned back and closed his eyes hoping to get a good nap before the new day would start. 

With his eyes closed, his other senses became stronger. He could sense if there was any danger near by. Listening with his ears, smelling any scent of a predator with his nose, and feeling any vibrations from the ground with his body. He could sense someone approaching, and his eyes quickly shot open. He pretended to be asleep, though his eyes were wide open. Slowly he rose from the grass and hid behind the same tree he lied underneath. Suddenly, he saw a quick flash of what seemed like a person pass him by. Without hesitation, he grabbed the person and put them into a chokehold with one arm and grabbed their hand while placing it behind their back. The scream from this person was that of a woman, a familiar woman; in fact, the same woman who screamed when the soldier held her in almost the same position earlier.

"Please, wait!" She spoke aloud almost in a cry. He held her for a second more, not sure if he could trust her. Who was she and why would she follow him? After all, he helped her back there. Wouldn't that be enough for her? Besides, it looked like she could take care of herself.

"…Who are you?" He spoke into her ear while squeezing her hand. She yelled out in pain, and it was at that moment that he let her go. He hadn't realized his hand released hers, nor did he understand why until after he had made the action. She grabbed her hand and massaged it, trying to hold back her cries. She was beginning to believe that following this man was yet another one her bad ideas. "Answer me!" He demanded. Frightened by his tone, she swallowed her breath and spoke.

"My name is Rinoa Heartilly. You helped me back there and I just wanted to thank you."

Even through the darkness, he could still see the nervousness on her face. He looked away from her for a second and then turned his face back to her.

"…But you already thanked me before. One time is enough." He turned away from her realizing that she was of no threat.

"I know, but…you don't understand. You really helped me back there. If you hadn't have been around…I would've been one of those bodies lying on the ground. Please…"

"…It doesn't make a difference whether you thanked my a million times or not, just go back home and give your friends a proper burial."

"I can't…" She fell to her knees and placed her hands on top of his black boots. She cried softly and grabbed his leg. "You don't understand. I can't go back there. I just can't!" Squall didn't know what to do. He sat and watched the woman cry her eyes out. He didn't know what he could do.

**

* * *

****Author's Note:** **

* * *

**

**Well, I'm trying...**

_**StardustRay**_


	3. My Life

_**Clash of the Gardens**_

* * *

_My Life_

* * *

Under the same night sky far away was Balamb Garden. The Headmaster sat at his desk in silence. With no word back from Squall, the old man was beginning to panic. He feared that he was getting too old for his job. His nerves just couldn't handle the new pressures he now faced. He sighed and removed the glasses from his face._ I don't think I can bring myself to tell them. There must be something we could do in order to avoid this battle. These young students, no, these young persons have a right to live. I will not stand by and let Galbadia boast its power amongst us. But, what do I do? I have to find a way. There must be something we can agree on._He closed his eyes and laid his head back on the cushions of his chair. 

Meanwhile, Quistis had managed to find Xu who had been busy organizing applications for various missions. Quistis folded her arms and walked over to her.

"Xu, how are you holding up?"

"I'm fine, Quistis, thanks for asking. Things are real hectic around here."

"Yes, I know what you mean. Any more news about…you know?"

"The Headmaster was contacted by Trabia. They said that the SeeD, who reported their Headmaster's death, has gone missing in Dollet. Ironically, we've only received one report from our SeeD who was sent to there also."

"And who is that?"

"Dincht."

"Zell? It's just like him to only write _one_ report." Quistis chuckled.

"I agree, but I do hope that nothing has happened to him."

"Hey, wasn't Squall sent over that way?"

"I believe so, but the Headmaster hasn't really given me any details about Leonhart's mission. What do you think he's up to?"

"Who knows what goes on in the minds of either of those men; although, I have to add that the Headmaster is afraid and Squall's just crazy enough to carry out one of his orders."

"I wish the Headmaster could trust me enough sometimes. He never sends me on any real field assignments anymore."

"Xu, you're one of the best. He'll give you your orders just as soon as everything is in turmoil."

"Hey, that's horrible! I don't want to be used as a last resort!"

"Relax Xu, I was only kidding."

"I hope so." Xu sighed. Quistis shook her head and chuckled.

* * *

Squall continued to watch the female release her pain and tears onto his boots, and the grass. He could only watch her, and showed no other reaction. Only dying soldiers dropped to Squall Leonhart's feet, but never had they purposely fell to him in tears. He did the only thing he could do to get her away from him. He kicked her off of his boot and turned away from her. She fell away on the ground, landing on her bottom with a loud gasp. Not only was he skilled in combat, he was nothing more than a heartless murderer. She had to know his reasons. She had to know who he was and why he could take the lives of the soldiers, but let her live on without so much as to asking for anything in return. In the midst of her tears, she managed to find the strength to use her voice once again. 

"Who…are you?" She was scared to ask, but even more afraid to receive an answer. It was quite clear that he wouldn't harm her, but she didn't know if that meant that her life would be in danger a few moments later. She stood to her feet slowly and took a step back as it seemed to take him forever to give her an answer. He was contemplating on answering her directly and honestly. He would never lie, but he would never tell her the whole truth either. Suddenly, he realized that someone had made a call to the Garden, and arranged for the SeeDs of Balamb to rid the Galbadians from Timber territory. With a sigh of disappointment, he tilted his head to one side as if in aggravation, and then turned back to her to face her again. She was now standing and waiting for his answer.

"I was carrying out my orders. Someone requested SeeD?"

"Yeah, Trabia's SeeD, but they were in uniform. Who are you?"

"You mean to tell me no one contacted Garden about this situation?"  
"…Are you with Trabia?"  
"No."

"You must be from Balamb. What is your name?"

"Squall."

"Squall…" To hear his namespoken slowly and by a foreigner had entirely freaked him out. He turned away from her and began to walk. "Wait, where are you going?"  
"…I think its clear that I have completed my objectives, so I'll be on my way."  
"Wait!" She ran behind him and threw herself in front of his tracks. He automatically stopped as she appeared right before his face, and he could only look at her eyes. He switched his focus to a tree, which was rooted on the road through the tiny forest.

"What do you want?" He asked.

"Let me go with you."

"No."  
"Please, I have no where else to go."  
"Yes you do. Whether you like it or not, your home is still at Timber."

"No! It's not there! Please! You can't leave me here! I'll be in danger if I stay in Timber!"

"I'm sure you can handle those soldiers on your own. You certainly seem to be a tough opponent for those, weak Bast-"  
"But I'm not as strong as you are. I couldn't rely on myself in combat! Please, let me stay with you."  
"No way."  
"Squall!" She yelled in frustration, but he only walked around her. "You have to listen to me. They're not done in Timber. They'll return in full force and kill anyone who is a Resistance Faction Member, and they know who I am. I won't survive if I stay in Timber. Please! If I can just stay with you until I find a good hiding place! I promise, I'll lend you a hand in anything you need help with, and I won't be a bother or a burden to you-"

"You can't promise to not be a burden to anyone. It's a _burden_ just listening to you speak. Get away from me. I have nothing to do with you, and I was never asked to save your life, nor do I need your help!"

He spoke as if he hadn't any emotions at all. He sounded like an android to her, a robot that could never feel anything. Had he ever felt pain? Had he ever had his life pass before his eyes? Did he know how it felt to lose all those around in an instant, and not being able to do a thing about it? Tears rolled down her cheeks, but she wiped them away as he walked. She was determined to stop him, and she would. She aimed her weapon at him and gathered her breath before speaking.

"I lost everything I ever fought to protect! I did everything in my power to protect those I loved, but still they _all _perished! I watched them die! Do you hear me! I _watched_ them die! Do you know what that feels like? _Do you!_" He stopped in his tracks and stood in his favorite stance, leaning mostly on his right leg, and a hand on his hip. He looked at the ground and sighed. He had looked upon the same people who were mourning those that were lost to the explosions.

How could he ignore their suffering, their cries? Their was no way to erase the sights he had seen before, but even more, the sights he had seen long ago from battles of the past. He leaned his forehead into his hand and closed his eyes, becoming angrier by the second. For a second, he realized this was the longest conversation he had ever had with _anyone_. It was the longest, and by far the most annoying conversation he had ever had with another human being. But this person had basically insulted him, told him he himself wasn't a human being.

She stressed the question to him, insisting that maybe he didn't care about what had happened to her. How could he give her sympathy? Giving her sympathy alone would mean that he was being selfish, and maybe the other survivors would want sympathy or pity as well. He didn't want to give her anything but a few Gil and tell her to take a hike. For a split second, that was a good idea…until he heard her click a button.

Then he heard the sound of a blade spinning through the air and heading straight for him. His reflexes forced him to jump to the ground swiftly before any damage could be done. He realized now that he had taken too much time in thought before answering her question. He figured now would be a good time to reply, but before he could do anything else, she stood over him. She looked down at him and wiped her eyes again. _She thinks I'm dead? What an idiot. _She closed her eyes and knelt down beside him.

"I'm sorry." Those were the only words she could speak to him as he lay on the ground. What else could she say? There were no emotions in this man, and he was a machine running on orders. He wasn't human at all. She stretched out her hand to reach his face, but before it could make contact, he moved his hand and grabbed her neck. Slowly he boosted himself from the ground with the help of his free hand, and looked at the young person who made a threat to his life. He squeezed her neck with one hand, and rose from the ground while she tried to kick him and scream. _How could she do that and just say that she was sorry?_ _She acted like I went through and ordered the missiles on Timber, myself_.

He was tired of hearing her complaining and nagging about all the things that had just happened, but did she realize that all of this was nothing compared to all the things he had ever seen before? She was too worried about her measly group to realize that she wasn't the only one suffering from pain, and lost. She grabbed his arm as he lifted her from the ground, and she was choking now. Seeing the darkness in his eyes, she was frightened. She almost passed out before kicking him in the stomach. He gasped aloud and let his hand ease on her neck, but he still held her high.

"Do not tell me that you're sorry. You only want pity for yourself. You want to hide from Galbadia, instead of fighting like a true soldier to help defend your people. You do not take your anger out on me!" He looked at her eyes and saw her crying and gasping for air. She had given up fighting. She let her body loosen and her hands had eased the grip on his arm. Seeing that the kick just failed to do anything but make him angrier, she had given up completely.

Slowly, he lowered her down and her feet were finally able to touch the ground. Still, his hand never left her neck. There was something about this woman that was getting to him. Normally, any person or thing to threaten his life would not live to see the next second, but this person…who was she? He let go of her neck and allowed her to gather air. "…I don't know what you think I can do for you, but you'd best fend for yourself. I can't help you." She coughed and grabbed her own throat while crying and looking up to him.

"I don't care what you do to me, just get me out of here!" He looked back at her in surprise, what would it take get rid of her and make her go away?

"…What?"

"I mean it! Whether you like it or not, I am going to follow you until the very end! I want my revenge, and with you, I know I'll be able to fight again!"

"So you want _me_ to fight _your _battles! Is that it!"

"No!"

"Then what do you want! The suspense is killing me, literally!" He had pointed to her Pinwheel and she raised her arm to see it for herself. She pouted.

"Nobody's more heartless than that scum, Deling!"

In a mad fit, he turned away from her and began to walk. She walked behind him after he was a few feet away, and whether he liked it or not, she followed him. _She'd strike me with my back turned? A true sign of a coward. _He thought to himself while walking, fully aware that somewhere behind and following was that leech of a woman.

So many thoughts passed through her mind about the man walking before her. She saw now that he would not fall easily. He was her ticket to freedom, at least, that's what she wanted to believe. _…He couldn't do it. I wanted him to take my life and still…he couldn't do it. I guess nobody really isn't that heartless. _Looking ahead, she noticed that his figure was gone. In a panicky haste, she ran ahead and looked around for him. She grabbed the ring on her necklace and sighed. "Oh no…He's gone."

She fell down to the ground and cried into her hands. "This isn't happening…" Suddenly, a voice spoke from behind her.

"First of all, if you're going to follow me, you'll have to stop crying and keep up. Secondly, everything around you _is_ happening. It was blessing that you're still alive, in your case, a miracle. You should make _yourself_ useful and stop depending on others. Finally, if you fall behind again, I will not wait for you. Do I make myself clear?" She looked back at him and saw him standing with his hands folded and never looking at her. She nodded and answered to him.

"Yes." She stood to her feet and looked at his face. He unfolded his arms and walked around her. They were once again headed in the same direction they had been walking the entire night. After a long silence, he looked at the sky and then down to ground.

"…I'm going to have to go back to Timber anyway. _I_ need to catch a train."

"You're not getting rid of me _that _easily! The trains in Timber have already stopped running. Mostly because they wanted to stop all ways of any personnel making threats on the Galbadian Army stationed there, you know, people like you? If _we_ were heading back to Balamb, _our_ best bet would be to make it to Dollet and catch a boat there! The lines will go directly to Balamb City!"

"Don't you think I already know that? I just needed to see if the Trains were still running."

"Why didn't you just ask me? Was that so hard to do?" He became silent. "Hey! I'm still talking to you!"

"Yeah, and I'm wondering why." He quickly snapped back at her.

"Why are you that way? You practically squeezed the life out of me with one hand. Did something happen to you, too?" She continued to talk and all the while Squall had ignored her completely. He took out his compass and map and looked around trying to find north. Finally, he found the right way to Dollet. He had begun to walk and still she talked. "I know that you must be annoyed by me, and I know you can hear me. Because whenever I talk, your head shakes a little and it bobs to the side then down. Like it's doing now, See!" Maybe she struck a forbidden nerve of his, because he suddenly turned around and looked dead into her eyes, his face fully red of frustration. The poor girl had nowhere to run.

"SHUT UP!" He still faced her and gave her full eye contact; of course his eyes were red and could scare just about anyone or anything. He didn't know what he would do with her when he saw a little smile form on her lips. The girl had begun giggling at him. He put his hands up as if to choke her again and she stopped immediately.

"…I'm sorry." She said while moving her eyes down to the grass.

"You don't really mean it, so stop apologizing!" He said still facing toward her. _And they wonder why I keep to myself!_

"Well, I do mean it. It's just that, I have to make myself feel better than I do right now. Don't you see that I need to know that everything's going to be okay?"

"I can't tell you that everything's going to be okay. I can't promise you anything."

"Sure you can! Just say, 'Rinoa, everything will be fine!' exactly like that, okay?" His expression was priceless. His quizzical facial expression caused her to laugh aloud. He was becoming angrier again.

"Then that would only be a lie!"

"Gosh, you're the most pessimistic optimist I've ever seen before in my entire life! You're the ONLY person like that!"

_Maybe that's a good thing. Lately, I'm the only person who's sane around here. _He turned away from her. "And you're a whiny pest."

"What did you say?"

"You heard me, and I'm not repeating myself to you."

"Why? You scared?" He found himself wanting to laugh at her comment. Squall? _Afraid_ of her? Afraid of anyone else? There was no way he could tolerate that statement without having a slight grin on his face.

"Yeah, I'm scared." He sarcastically replied to her.

"Let's not forget I could've killed you if I wanted to!"

_Even you don't have it in you to do something like that_. He thought to himself. "So why didn't you?" She became silent and looked at the ground. "Exactly as I thought. You're just an amateur." That statement was one she wouldn't stand down to. No one calls Rinoa Heartilly an amateur, no one!

"I'll have you know, _Squall_, that I chose not to kill you because I knew I would need you in order to get out of here! Unlike you, I actually planned before I made my move."

"Funny, I didn't see why you never kept your distance after you _thought _you killed me."

"…I-" She was at a lost for words. She couldn't respond to him. She forgot that after she shot her Blaster Edge, after it supposedly pierced his body…she ran to him to see how bad he was damaged.

"I rest my case."

"It's not over yet!" With hope she continued to defend herself.

"Oh believe me, it is." She gave an aggravated groan, and at that moment, Squall knew he had won for sure.

As they walked through the plains, he noticed the peacefulness of the air. She was more silent than he had ever hoped, maybe even a little too silent.

* * *

**Author's Corner:**

* * *

**Okay, this update of mine will take awhile. Again, I apologize if anyone was in the midst of reading this story. Please remember to review. Thanks!**

_**StardustRay**_


	4. Persistence

**_Clash of the Gardens_**

_

* * *

_

_Persistence _

* * *

Headmaster Cid Kramer walked into his office. The new day seemed to be too peaceful of a day to break horrible news on those who looked up to him. Everything had worked against him. Everyone seemed to be sweeter than usual when he made his way into his office. _I don't understand. Things are always perfect just when the unexpected occurs. Seems like fate has a way of treating us right before it tricks us and knocks us down. Oh, when will we see a truly peaceful age? One year was enough for us, I guess." _He sighed in between his thoughts as if using his own voice. _"But little does fate know that I have found a way to play my piece in this Chess game of Life. _

"Sir, pardon the intrusion." Xu said while entering through his doors.

"No problem, Xu. What is it?"  
"The Galbadian's are giving us two days to make up our minds. It seems that Deling wants to be seen as a compassionate man. He claims that he will wait for our decision because he knows this is hard on us, seeing that we have lost so many troops to Esthar's soldiers."

"…Well, I guess we should be thankful that we have just those two days at least. Still, prepare those that I told you to gather up. I'll begin issuing them orders after my two days of making a decision."

"Yes, sir. I'll get right on it."

"Xu?" Cid always had a way to keep her inside right before she was dismissed. She looked at the old man.

"Yes, Headmaster?"

"Please tell them to enjoy these few days we have left."

"I will. But, sir, please don't act as if these are our last times."

"I know, Xu. Just…"  
"I heard you loud and clear, Sir." She exited the room quickly. He turned to the window and looked down at his personnel with their young minds hard at work. He hated giving good people bad news.

* * *

Squall could hear her footsteps behind him, though her footsteps were at a much slower pace. Obviously, she wasn't used to long walks. She didn't want to be a pain to him, so she held on as long as she could. After a few yards, he thought the sound of her shoes hitting the ground had vanished. He continued walking before he realized his mind wasn't playing tricks on him. Finally, he looked back and saw her on the ground. She was gasping for air, and her mouth looked dry. She seemed to be dehydrated, and hungered for food or water, anything that would help her to walk. He walked back to her and looked down at her.

"Get up." Her eyes were closing quickly. "I said, get up!" She had closed her eyes now, and he found his heart's beating pick up. "Rinoa! Get up!" Finally she coughed and managed to open her eyes again. To his surprise, a smile much like the one earlier had formed on her lips. Again, he made that quizzical face. Even though she smiled, she was still in no mood to answer his orders. She dropped down to the ground. He didn't know what to do with her.

He scratched the back of his head with his gloved hand and looked around almost in total panic. It was obvious that she wasn't dead, but still, it didn't look like she wouldn't be rising anytime soon. He knelt down beside her and grabbed her hand.

Quickly, he tossed her on his back and walked across the plains. He was surprised that she was incredibly light, and hadn't once hurt his back; although, the weight of her and the length he had walked seemed to strike at his legs. Squall was becoming tired.

As he looked up, he could swear his eyes were playing tricks on him. A river flowed just a mile ahead of where he stood. The closer he brought himself, the more he felt like he too would pass out on the plains of Timber.

* * *

When Rinoa opened her eyes, she was surprised to find a piece of wet cloth on her forehead. She moved it away and looked around. She saw that her head was inches away from a peaceful flowing river. Quickly, she crawled to the riverbed and placed her hands into the water. Forming any type of cup she could with just her hands, she scooped out enough water that would quench her thirst. After managing to get a few drinks of water into her mouth, she had finally sat up. She stretched her arms above her head and smiled, realizing that somehow, she was still alive. Rinoa looked around and finally spotted him, seated on the ground, his back against a large boulder. She got to her feet and walked to him. Squall sat and looked into the river, wishing he could just toss a certain someone there and never have to worry about her again.

He hadn't realized how tired he was until he stopped and took a drink from the river. Maybe later on he would thank her for making him see that he needed a break? Before he could decide if _later_ was a good time, there she was. Standing and glowing beside the calm, and what seemed like stilled, river. He had wondered if it were moving at all. Turning his attention toward her, he remained silent. A silence, she had quickly gotten used to now. It was a peaceful silence, and she was glad to see he wasn't trying to kill her again. Maybe he would kill her if she took any longer to say anything, she could tell that he was becoming uncomfortable with her just staring at him. She opened her mouth, but was surprised to hear him speak first.

"You don't have to say anything! Just take advantage of this break right now because we won't take another break until we're on that boat to Balamb, and I mean it!" He tried to make his voice seem as angry and bitter as possible, but she knew better than that. He had never turned his head to look at her. She took a seat at the edge of the river and smiled.

He watched her sit at the river's edge and notice how silent she could make herself. She looked so innocent, almost like a child. Even _he_ knew a person should never have to suffer so much, but then, he realized that he too had been put up with enough. All his life, he seemed to be alone. No matter what he did, he was always alone. Growing up in an orphanage, shipped out to a place full of others who's statuses were just like his, and being trained to put his emotions to use. Even as he was beginning to mature and train to become a SeeD, he did everything on his own. He learned to take his emotions and turn them into power.

His anger, his hate, his love, but what love did he have? He always did feel empty, and sad. Alone. Without parents, who would make him feel like a human being should? Maybe the girl was right about what she told him yesterday? Maybe he was inhuman and heartless? Maybe he didn't care about anyone, after all, nobody ever gave him the kind of comfort he needed when growing up. The only comfort or encouragement he got was from an instructor, yelling at him to try again, and to be stronger. Not to be a crybaby anymore. What kind of comfort was that? It was turning him into a monster, and it _had_ turned him into a monster.

Somehow, when he looked at this girl's face, he could see the pain deep within her soul. He knew she didn't understand him, and she would probably never understand how he felt. His life was a wreck, and the only way he felt like he could make a difference, was by taking orders and following them, and successfully completing them. This was his life, and no one could take it away from him, no one. Not even that sad face of hers…sad face? She was trying to hide the fact that she had started crying. It was so obvious, that even _he_ could tell. Quickly, she wiped her eyes and smiled again, as if nothing had ever happened. Now she turned her body and looked at him with that same smile.

"…I was going to say, earlier, that you said my name for the first time. Thanks." Without waiting for his reply, she turned forward and looked into the water.

"…It's okay." He said while closing his eyes as he pushed back more into the boulder. She wasn't sure if he had said anything at all, but she knew he would be too proud to admit that he did. Without going into any further details, she decided to leave it at that.

* * *

They had made some progress now and were coming close to seeing Dollet, but it seemed to be so far out of reach. Unlike before, she was actually quiet and keeping up with him. She almost found herself passing him up, but feared that he would decide that she was strong enough to look out for herself. There seemed to be an even bigger forest up ahead, and the forests near Dollet were always trouble. He began to realize that he was nearing the same place his past mission had instructed him to reach. He could make out the sightings of the thieves' workplace. He suddenly realized that he had wiped them out entirely, and no danger should threaten them as they approached the forest. There was a strange sound coming from Rinoa, and she quickly moved away from him almost embarrassed.

"Please don't tell me that was what I thought it was." Squall said without looking at her.

"…I'm sorry. I haven't eaten or slept for three days now."

"Huh? Why n-" He stopped asking his question. Not wanting to here her whimpers, he quickly dug into his pocket and took out a snack bar he had stashed aside for his mission, but now it would become a chew toy for her. "Eat that quickly, I don't want any monster to pick up the scent." She smiled and took the bar from his hand. As she peeled back the foil, she looked up at him and gestured it to him near his face. "W-what?" He said while moving back his head as if in defense.

"Want a piece? I'm sure you're hungry, too."

"No thanks."

"Suit yourself, but don't blame me if you get hungry later on!" Before she could take a bite, he grabbed the bar and broke one piece off. He handed it back to her and walked ahead. She could only laugh at him. Watching him chew on the food was even more hilarious, and he could only continue walking ahead, too embarrassed to look at her. "Why didn't you just say that you were hungry? As a matter of fact, why didn't you eat it before?"

"I forgot it was in my pocket, so be quiet and thankful that you have something to eat right now."

"Squall, don't be so angry all of the time. It's bad for your health." He could only find himself thinking: _You're bad for my health! _He decided not to voice his opinion and lead her into the forest; hopefully, some monster would answer his prayers and eat her alive. She finished the last of the snack bar, and stuffed its paper into her pocket; Rinoa was never one to litter the natural environment.

She wiped her mouth and looked around. Somehow, the forest was quiet and peaceful. It wasn't as bad as she thought it would be when they were first approaching. In her already hungry state, her nervousness made the air within her body stir, causing her stomach to growl like a hungry tiger. She laughed a little to herself, but stopped suddenly when she saw that Squall had paused. She ran beside him and looked around.

"What's the matter, Squall? What do you see?"  
"Be quiet." He whispered to her. For a second, she waited. There wasn't any sign of anything. She took a step behind him and waited for him to investigate.

"I don't see anything."

"Be quiet!" He said while a Cockatrice flew from above, its lightning attack coming down upon them. Squall managed to grab her as he jumped to dodge the lightning bolt as well. He countered the bird with a water spell, and rose to his feet quickly to pierce its chest. The bird gave its death cry before Squall slung it off his sword. Rinoa stood to her feet in haste.  
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to…" She said, still Squall's face seemed to be worried when he turned to her. "What is it?"

"Shut up!" She didn't understand him. His personality, who in the world was he? She wouldn't stand for it any longer, no more would he tell her to shut up. He was so rude and Rinoa couldn't take it anymore.

"Stop telling me to shut up like I'm some-" Before she knew it, he pulled her body and pressed her against a wide tree then placed his hand over her mouth. He moved his body to suppress hers and gave her full eye contact. She was shocked to hear the sounds of troops marching far away, and a Galbadian truck passing through the forest.

He looked at the troops passing and then moved his eyes back to Rinoa. When he was sure that it was all of them, he held her there for a moment before releasing her. Rinoa was scared, and he could feel her heart racing, as was his, while the Galbadian's passed; but what mostly scared Rinoa wasn't about the Galbadians, it was the first time she had looked directly into his eyes. His eyes were filled with concern for their safety, and probably not for whatever she was looking into them for. Her heart was still racing by the second, as he stood before her.

For the first time, she noticed the scar on his forehead. It wasn't an open wound, almost like it had healed over time, but the impression was still there. A pink line slashing his eyebrow and over his nose to the other side of his face, she felt herself sigh against his hand. His breathing was like fire on her skin, and she tried so hard to break that eye contact she kept with him. He spoke in between breaths in a whisper.

"The next time…I tell you…to be quiet, you listen to me. Do you understand?" She was too embarrassed to look at him directly. "Do you understand!" She mumbled against his hand what he interpreted to be a 'Yes.' Slowly he released her from his grasp. He backed away and let her move from the tree. He didn't seem to be distracted by any of their closeness at the moment, at least, as far as she could tell. Squall looked the other way and became more concerned about which way the soldiers had passed.

"I didn't mean to say anything! I didn't know what to do! Why can't you understand that I just made a mistake?" She had begun to cry again. In reality, she needed something to cry about.

After seeing the Galbadians pass them by, she realized that no matter how peaceful her journey away from home was, the reality was that she too wasn't free. Her home was completely destroyed, and her closest friends, lost, but now she too would be lost among them. In a matter of time, she too would be deceased, perhaps joining her friends in a peaceful, eternal slumber.

With that thought, she charged to attack him for being so insensitive, and for living on as strong as he was without even having the courage to comfort her or care about life itself. She outreached her arms in offense, charging at him for being negative and so uncaring towards everyone. She charged at him angrily, and he grabbed her only to pin her to the ground.

He put one of his legs over both of hers, and held her upper body down by her fore arms with his hands. Still, she attempted to throw punches at him with her fist that were dangling helplessly in the air. He could've laughed at her pathetic punches, but dared not to let her see that he was amused by her weak attempts to injure him. She cried aloud while he continued to watch her miserable struggle.

"Why! Zone! Watts!" She managed to get enough strength to boost herself from the ground for only a slight second, but Squall used more force and held her down. "Chief! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm so weak! I can't even help you all!" Squall watched this woman pour her soul into her cries, and something inside him pitied her.

"Shut up!" He didn't want to pity her, nor did he want anything to do with her. He didn't know this woman, and he didn't want her to be around him any longer. But still, he couldn't find the strength to leave her as she wept on the ground underneath his grasp. "Be quiet and quit your whining!" He told her. "You'll never get anywhere if you keep calling yourself weak! If you keep sobbing and crying everywhere, you'll only become weaker everyday. If you would just focus that energy somewhere else, you would have nothing to fear. So find something new, and protect it. That will give you determination! In the meantime…" He saw her arms relax, and her crying began to calm down. He eased his grasp as well, and in a whisper he told her, "…don't cry." His grip eased again and finally he released her, but before he could move, her arms were around his shoulders and he was being pulled to the ground. "…Rinoa."

He rose from the ground with her clinging to him, and he didn't know what to do.

"Squall…Thank you." She squeezed her arms around his neck and cried into his chest. "Thank you." She said again and never let her arms release him. He was never comfortable with the closeness of any person, even when sitting in classrooms with others. His personal space went a long way, but for some reason, he couldn't make himself push this woman off. He couldn't believe she was holding onto him, but he wouldn't dare to lead her own. It was at that moment that he realized how badly she needed someone there, to hug _him_ of all people? He was the only person around, that's why she hugged him. He also realized that they would need to leave soon, but Rinoa didn't want to move. He was able to shake off this new sensation.

"Rinoa, we have to catch that boat." He said, immediately yet slowlypushing her away.

"What boat-Oh yeah! ...I'm sorry."

"What did I tell you about apologizing? When will you ever learn?" She could only smile while letting go of him. They stood and followed the road where the Galbadians were heading. Squall wondered what danger lied up ahead, seeing that Galbadians would now take interest in Dollet, as if they hadn't done enough damage in Timber.

He wouldn't let anything else happen to these people, he swore it. The passion of his duties in his eyes, Rinoa looked at Squall, and he hadn't noticed, but she saw something in those eyes. She saw his passion burning brilliantly as he looked at Dollet from afar. The way he had let her stay on his body without throwing her away angrily, said something more to her. Something about this man was now eating away at her, and whether she knew it or not, she was a piece of the passion burning in his eyes.

* * *


	5. Part 2: Complication

_**Clash of the Gardens:** _

**Part II: Complication**

_**

* * *

**__**Adrenaline**_

* * *

"Almasy! Report your status!" The General called out to the man wearing the brown coat, but for right now, his weapon was no wear to be found.

"Easy there…I don't answer to shouts." He grinned at Caraway and looked away. "I know you're eager to hear about her, but don't be taking it out on me." Almasy looked at the man, continuing to smile knowing that the General could have him put away for life. However, that was before the President realized how powerful the young man was. Now, Almasy held one of the highest ranks, and the General dared not to challenge him. The older man could only growl.

"Listen, Almasy, I'm only going to say this to you once." He said while pulling the boy to the side, but Almasy continued to smirk. "You may be here on behalf of a 'good word' someone _else_ put in for you, so let's not forget that regardless of how much '_power_' you may have over any of us, you still have to gain our respect!"

"Oh, and I'm sure these soldiers just _love _you." Seifer replied quickly.

"Just remember, kid, as quickly as you got here…you can leave the same way."

"I'm not a kid, I'm a Lieutenant…Maybe not as great in title as a General, but let's not forget, _shall we_, that I have just enough power and respect to get rid of _you_. Trust me, General, you have no idea what goes on behind the scenes when you're not around."  
Once again, the old man grunted and looked away from Almasy. "Well, I'll take that as the end of our date. I'll see you, _Caraway_, at the next meeting." Seifer smiled and walked away from General Caraway.

"_Who does that kid think he is? Ever since Deling recruited him from the Garden, he's been acting like some celebrity! He doesn't even take this army seriously! That is why Gardens and Militaries ought to be separated. We hold different values! Kids lack integrity, and commitment! Before soon, we'll all, including Deling, take orders from that wretched kid!" _The General found him self slamming his fist into the stone wall, and seeing pieces of it's crust falling to the floor. "I'm going to Deling City, and back to my headquarters." He looked over at a few soldiers sitting around. "You there, inform the President of my leave!"

"Yes, Sir!" The soldier saluted him and ran off. The General left in haste, and Seifer looked at his vehicle pull off onto the road from Galbadia Garden. Seifer smiled again and shook his head.

"Bad nerves only get you killed…" He said to himself and walked into the quiet Garden. He had always been here, and to him, the place had never changed. Galbadia Garden was rumored as being one of the best military academies around. It was wide and held many training grounds around, and there were courses and instructors for just about everything pertaining to battle. Galbadia: Warrior's Paradise, Seifer's Heaven.

He approached the tennis courts that were surrounded by gates, and almost started laughing. Who had ever actually played tennis out here? Everyone was too busy focusing on fighting to remember to loosen up. Because the Garden was combined with the Military, it posed a great threat to many nations. Many students were actually drafted straight from the Garden and into the military, as Seifer had also.

Seifer grew up in the Garden and studied hard. He had found himself inspired to become the master of his weapon choice: Gunblade. His own gunblade was named _Hyperion, _a named he had depended his life upon since the day he first wielded its blade. He knew of one other person to wield the same weapon of choice; he even had the pleasure of fighting him once before. It was only a year ago, but the memory of his battle with the fellow opponent was still fresh in his mind. Seifer took a seat on a bench outside and closed his eyes, beginning to think back on that bloody day. A smile slowly crept upon his lips, and never had he wanted a rematch so badly.

* * *

Dark and raining, perfect disturbing weather for a raging war. Noises, screeches, squeals, bombs, gunfire, smoke, and every possible distraction at once, nothing could stop him as he ran through the crowds. Hyperion held high, constantly being summoned upon by its mad wielder. Seifer charged against the hordes of soldiers, not caring whose side they were on or whom they fought for; it was only a game to him. It was also his test. Whether he knew it or not, there were more eyes on him than he could have ever imagined, not that it would have been bad for him to know, he probably would've enjoyed the attention. But nothing was better than going against thousands of men, and not having to worry about looking after others. 

He had been sent in, like so many others, to make himself a space with the elite squad of Galbadia. It was his duty to show the President of Galbadia just how strong he could be. Seifer found that there were quite a few others who were also trying to make that same cut. There was another young man with longer hair, almost bony figure, who seemed to be a little nervous. Seifer didn't want to look at him. If he saw someone else become nervous, it would make him feel the pressure rise too. He didn't need that, and decided to focus his attention elsewhere.

Arriving at the scene of the battlefield proved to be one of the most gruesome sights, despite his bloody past, he had ever witnessed; however, it wasn't long before all his past was forgotten and a grim smile formed upon his lips.

"MOVE OUT!" The Captain called out, just the words Seifer wanted to hear. He saw the other nervous brunette hesitate before charging, and then ran ahead. Seifer took charge, only after hearing a few gunshots fire from his left and a bomb explode on his right. The explosion hit most of the men who followed him. Having no time to panic, Seifer continued running until he reached a few soldiers. With a battle cry, Seifer slashed through the Estharian soldiers. He had made swift progress in the midst of the intensely heated battle. He fought as if the war were for himself, as if it were for Galbadia.

The battle truly belonged to Esthar and Balamb, fighting over the rights of Fisherman's Horizon. Never had Galbadia been allowed to enter. In the end, Seifer and the other troops were only there to test out there strength, and it was the perfect opportunity to battle. As he made his way through the crowds, he saw more and more of Balamb's SeeDs. They were fighting together, and taking down many Estharian Soldiers. They seemed to be making so good a progress, that Seifer had wondered who was leading them. When he looked over the crowd, he saw one dark-haired man, probably about the same age as he, who was conducting every move, as if he were the leader. He looked too young to be guiding some people who were obviously so much older than he. Instantly, Seifer hated him. How could this guy have so much power than Seifer? That wasn't fair.

There he was, trying to prove himself to a bunch of older men, and this guy was leading some troops on freehand. Seifer felt his teeth grind together as he approached quickly toward the group of SeeDs. He noticed that the guy had seen him on his way, and made a few of the SeeDs attack other soldiers.

Seifer knew that this person could tell that he was no ordinary soldier, as the dark-haired man was prepared to engage in combat. The brunette charged at Seifer and gave him no other choice but to attack first. The shattering sounds of the swords colliding, was what caught both their attentions. Seifer looked at his opponent's sword and saw that it was another version of his own weapon, the Gunblade. But that Gunblade looked shinier and made finer than his own gunblade, there was a carving of some beast on his blade also. Seifer couldn't help but to speak aloud, "Gunblade?"

The man pulled back on his attack and looked at Seifer, Seifer could see that there was no expression on his face, only darkness in his eyes. He had probably been fighting all day and had taken down countless men. There was no way he would be an easy victory for Seifer. Still confident, Seifer was smirking and standing himself in defense.

The guy hadn't taken a breath before charging at Seifer again. He slung his sword sloppily, but accurately connecting to Seifer's blade. For a moment, Seifer felt his feet slide back on the ground. He looked at the trail his feet made and gritted his teeth together, giving his arms all of his strength. With a shout, he knocked his opponent off and proceeded to become the attacker again. There was a constant chime and spark each time their gunblades met. The battle was far from over. This man seemed to match him in every way possible. They both were becoming annoyed by the second, as the fight grew increasingly complicated. This opponent would not give up, and he stood his ground very well. Seifer understood why this person was in charge of strategically planning attacks on Esthar.

As they both felt nature's gravity taking its toll on their overworked bodies, they fought harder not to show each other they were tired. Finally, Seifer managed to push him to the side, the man had lost his balance, and with that, Seifer saw that now was the perfect time to strike. With all his strength left, he managed to pull his Hyperion down and slice across his opponent's face. To his surprise, there was only a short moment of a cry. The brunette stood up swiftly and countered the attack, and in one quick swing, managed to slice Seifer's face in the same manner. Seifer kneeled and put his hand on his face. Both too proud to admit defeat, both to tired to continue. Seifer looked at his glove, now stained in his own blood and smirked. Slowly he stood to his feet and pointed his gunblade toward the brunette, he only watched him.

"This isn't my war, but this is _our_ battle. You better not die today, or tomorrow, or for as long as this stupid war goes on!" He waved his blade in front the man's face, and surprisingly, he didn't flinch. "My blade will be the one to end your life." With a grimacing smile, Seifer turned away; confident that this man wouldn't strike him with his back turned, he was no coward. Seifer respected him.

"Hey, hey, hey! Seifer, ease up!" Seifer was brought back to reality by none other than the nervous brunette, himself, Irvine Kinneas.

"Move, move!" Seifer said while fanning the nuisance away.

"Hey, you were doing it again! Still reminiscing about that great war, eh?"

"Hah, I'm sure there was nothing _great _about that war to you. You almost wet your pants." He laughed.

Irvine muttered under his breath, "_Almost_…"

"That's why you and I could never be on the same level. Your heart is not into this kind of stuff. A guy like you should settle down and have kids."

"I'm no momma's boy, although the though of gettin a good woman ain't so bad…"

"You see…there's no time to think about stuff like that. I'm telling you to get out of here. That's an order, Kinneas!" Seifer said, sounding serious.

"…For a second there, I almost believed you. Oh, and speaking of orders, I was called a few moments ago. Perhaps I should go before he sends one of those hovering machine guys after me again, like last time."

"_That_ was hilarious. Yeah, it is a little boring around here, so do something stupid like shooting that thing you call a weapon."

"Valiant, it's a shotgun, and you know it. Your weapon only _mocks_ my precious masterpiece! Think about it, it doesn't even know which weapon it wants to be for crying out loud. Sword, Gun, _pick something_!" Irvine pointed at Seifer's gunblade while laughing slightly, and Seifer sighed while drawing it and slowly swinging it through the air.

"That's the beauty of it. It's unique, and I'm the only one who can wield such a classic thing. The Hyperion, slashing through flesh, just like I cut through the General's skin every time I look at him-"

"Yeah, and you both give people the creeps just by the sight of you!"  
"Get out of here, Momma's boy!" Seifer said while chasing after him with his raised gunblade. Irvine ran inside of the Garden quickly while laughing, it was only a few moments later that he was pulled to the side and given demerits along with forty pushups for laughing and running in the hallway, two very hard-learned-lesson rules of Galbadia that should never be broken. Seifer looked at him and laughed.

* * *

_It shouldn't be too much longer now, should it? _Squall thought to himself, and as if on queue, Rinoa stretched her arms and smiled confidently while speaking. 

"Not too much longer now!" She continued to smile knowing that he wouldn't speak. In fact, he had been more quiet than usual for a long time. Ever since she embraced him, he was silent. She started to wonder if this was how he always became around others. She wondered if she could ever get him to talk about something other than what was going on around them. She looked at him and stared at his face now, something she hadn't really done before.

As cruel as he was to her, his face looked so innocent. He looked like a little boy behind the scar across his nose and forehead. His hair bounced up and down as he walked, looking as soft as ever as the wind blew through his strands. She saw him look at her through the corner of his eye, and then a small sigh followed. He was aware that she was staring at him, and he became annoyed. "Sor-I mean, uh…" She said quickly and smiled again, "…I was just wondering how old you are."

"Nineteen." He said simply. She found herself chuckling at his seriousness. "What?"

"Wow, you make yourself seem so much older, although I can tell that you're still a kid just by looking at your face."  
"What are you getting at?"

"What do you mean?"

"…Forget it."

"Oh, come on, tell me. I don't mind. What, you were wondering why I asked?" She said. He could only nod. "Just curious, that's all." There was silence. "…I'm eighteen, but I'm guessing you probably already knew that."

"…That explains why you're so-" He had to catch himself from insulting her. _Whiney!_ Is what he wanted to say to her, that and everything _else_ he wanted to say to her but couldn't because she would probably cry all over him again. He sighed after hearing her laughing again. "What's so funny?"

"Why don't you tell me what you were going to say? I don't mind, really."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I was going to say that you are too immature, and you look like it." He prepared his ears and moved himself away from her. To his surprise, Rinoa had begun laughing out loud. She held her stomach and laughed louder than before. He didn't know why, but something inside made him want to laugh too. He shook off the thought to laugh and wondered if he had sounded _that_ stupid to her.

"I'm sorry." She finally managed to get her laughter under control. "Ahem, there. I'm done." She saw him shaking his head in an annoyed way, and she smiled again. "Live a little, it's good to laugh from time to time."

"What's there to laugh about?" He said angrily.

"You know what? I really don't care what's funny or not, it's just the point that I'm laughing, you should laugh too."

"Leave me alone." He said, still in his angry tone.

"Why are you so grumpy all of the time?"

"I'm a SeeD! I'm not some jester with a funny hat! I'm not here to make jokes! I'm not even here to protect you!" His pace quickened. She sighed and followed behind him slowly. If only he could tell her what was bothering him. If he wouldn't open up, then she would. At least to help him get a good idea of how to open up to someone, but then again, would this guy even pay attention? No, it wouldn't matter what he did. She would go on talking as if there were no tomorrow!

"Whenever I laugh, I feel like there's hope, you know?" She said quietly as she followed him, but loud enough for him to hear. He heard her but only continued to walk.

"…I didn't really get out much when I was growing up, 'cause my dad had me locked inside. I was a sheltered kid, and when I _did_ have a chance to go out, things weren't that great on the other side. I never blended in with the other kids well…everyday, every week, every month, and every year; it was always the same. I hated growing up with that guy. So I ran away…moved to Timber, met some people who became my friends, and joined a Faction. It was the most fun I ever had in my life. For the first time, I felt like I belonged, and I was a part of something, I felt important. I could make a difference in Timber! It was my life! But then…you know." She went quiet for a small moment and took a breath. Squall knew that she meant the tragedy with her silence; he understood.

"But I do remember those moments I had with them all. I laughed, we all laughed! I will always remember them. That's why I want to laugh. That's why I may seem immature to you. I laugh because I have to. It's the only thing that can bring me through these rough times! Why can't you see that? What happened to you to make you so dull about living? You think work is the only thing that you have to worry about? You'll complete an assignment, and before you know it, those who helped you complete that same assignment, are gone! You won't even be able to tell them 'thanks!' You won't even get to tell them anything! They're just gone! And it's miserable!" She kicked dirt at him for ignoring her, but little had she known that Squall's eyes were watering as she talked. She reminded him of all the people that purposely left him to be alone in his life, to be where he was now. He had no support at all.

"That's why it's best not to depend on them so much." He said seriously.

"What?"  
"If you don't rely on them, then you won't miss them when they've left." He continued. She stopped walking and looked at him.

"How can you be so casual? 'When they've left?' Are you serious!"

"As serious as I am about leaving if you don't quit this meaningless chatter."

"You make me sick! You make me sick to my stomach!"

"Fine." He stopped walking and sighed. "I'm glad I do, now will you shut up?"

"Nope! I'll never be quiet! I'll ramble on all day long! I'll talk a hole into your head, slowly drilling a hole right into your thick skull that will seep out blood and squirt all over the place."

_I'd hope it squirt into your eyes and blind you, too. _He found himself chuckling to himself as he thought.

"Aaah!" Instinctively, she closed her eyes and shot at the figure running to attacking his side.

"Arf!" It was a dog's howl. She quickly opened her eyes and saw an injured dog on the ground. Squall turned back to her and then looked at the ground. He was surprised at how he hadn't heard the animal approaching. Silly thoughts of Rinoa were beginning to cloud his mind and ruin his focusing training.

"Oh, no!" Rinoa said running over to the dog as it whined on the ground. There was a small wound across its front leg, but the dog seemed to be more shocked about being attacked. She touched the dog and realized that it looked extremely familiar. Before she could do anything else, Squall touched the dog and cast a cure spell on it. The spell managed to stop the bleeding, but the mark was still there. She watched him and smiled, surprised at how sensitive he had been toward the animal, but never seemed to care about her, her smile vanished. She was about to speak on the bizarre situation, but he stood quickly and began to walk.

The dog continued to whine, causing her to look down. "Angelo." It barked again. Suddenly Squall stopped and looked back to her.

"That's your dog?"

"Yeah, but I haven't seen her in days."

"How did it get here?"

"_She_! 'How did "_she"_ get here!'"

"Err…right-whatever." He said while shaking his head. She smiled.

"She must've wandered around after that horrible day. I told her to run away, and she listened to me. She's very smart!"

"_If she were that smart, then she'd stay the heck away from you…" _Squall smiled to himself. "Okay, well."

"You don't mind if she comes along, do you?"

"You didn't ask if I mind if _you _came along, why should you even have the right to ask about her-"

"Alright, alright! Do you _have_ to be so difficult?"

"I don't have to, I just choose to." He said while turning around to face Dollet.

"Why?"

"Because the sooner a person is ticked off, the sooner they'll leave."

"Okay, Squall, I understand; _however,_ I'm not leaving!"

"What a surprise." He said sarcastically.

"I'm serious."

"Yes, I'm fully aware of that."

"What is it that makes you _think _that way? _What drives you_?" He was silent now. Rinoa realized that she spoiled the fun. She was beginning to have fun with the last person who wanted her around; at least, that's what he wanted her to believe. Rinoa was no idiot. She knew that he was hiding something. There was no way a person could be so cold without having a reason for it, even if that person wasn't aware that there was a reason, something had to have happened to him a long time ago that still haunts him this very day. She jogged to catch up with him, and was now walking side by side with Squall.

He hadn't come to realize it, but he was starting to enjoy having her with him. This trip would've been so…dull…had she not chase after him. What would happen to her once they reached Balamb? Would the Headmaster allow her to enter? He kept quiet and looked at the dog that was happily jogging beside Rinoa with its tongue hanging out of its mouth. He tilted his head to the side and smiled, thinking how life was for this dog. How could "she" put up with Rinoa all the time and still like her? _She nearly took off my arm in an attempt to help Rinoa, stupid mutt. _He looked back ahead and smiled slightly.

* * *


	6. Determination

_**Clash of the Gardens**_

_**

* * *

**_

_**Determination **_

* * *

****

The docking harbor of Dollet seemed to be empty, not many souls had gathered out at sea. Galbadia had been run out by the town's militia, which formed after Squall's run in on the Thieves' Guild. The town was awarded the possession of all of the thieves' materials, which were all stolen of course, in order to protect themselves from future attacks. Dollet's Militia was heavily armed and Galbadia only sent a handful of troops. The vehicle was sent along just to cause the people of Dollet panic and fear; but there wasn't any other use for it.

Things were beginning to settle down. More and more people were seen at the harbor again. The town had begun to carry on like it did before. The militia was especially thankful for the two SeeDs that were present, and helped to move out the Galbadian Troops. They were offered a free room and board, a good meal and free tickets for the boat ride across the seas.

The petite figure stretched and took a deep breath. "Sure was a long day."

"You can say that again, Selphie!" A loud boy said while tapping his foot and looking up the road.

"Hey, Zell! Is your headmaster really as nice as you say he is?"

"How many times do I have to tell you?"

"Right, right. I'm sorry! I'm just so…nervous."

"Don't be, it'll be okay."  
The two were talking as if they'd known each other for a long time. They had been stranded at Dollet for days, well not stranded, but being ordered to stay in one place for a _long_ time…things just start to seem that way after a while. He took a seat on the ground and sighed. "Any time now! Once I receive my orders that it's safe to go back to Balamb, that's when we'll be able to get on that boat. It'll be home sweet home."

"In any case, I won't be going home so soon, I bet." She looked at the ground.

"I'll see what I can do! I'm sure that Headmaster Cid will get you there without any worries!" He said with a confident grin.

"I hope your right. Thanks!" She giggled.

"No probs!"

Selphie had traveled to Timber in order to escape the wrath of Galbadia, it was by Dollet that she contacted Trabia and gave the horrible news. She was then ordered to stay where she was because Balamb had its watch over Dollet, and they were not the targets of Galbadia. She abided by her orders and stayed in Dollet.

Zell was sent to Dollet to ensure the safety of the Civilians. He was also sent to get a list of stocks from the local food stores just incase Dollet was losing it's sources and needed fresh trades with FH. He was there to keep watch, and report if there was any disturbance whatsoever. He accepted this mission, for every opportunity to see the world had his favor.

* * *

Not faraway in the distance traveled a man, woman, and a canine. When they were finally within running range of Dollet, Squall was surprised to hear Rinoa cheer and jump up and down; but then, he could've pictured her doing something goofy like that anyway. He shook his head and quickened his pace.

"Oh you're no fun! Come on, Angelo!" They ran ahead and entered Dollet. Looking around, Squall could see that there was no sign of Galbadia anywhere. The soldiers they encountered were on their way out, and heading back to Galbadia, all of them. He sighed in relief, and then looked at Rinoa who seemed to be waiting for his orders like a SeeD, herself.

"I'll go find us the next boat out of here."

"You surprised me. I thought you'd only include yourself for the ticket."

"You can buy your own, if you like."

"No-no-no! It was just a thought. Go on, but don't leave me here! Okay?"

"I won't." He said while parting with her at the entrance. He headed the Harbor area and looked around for a Vessel scheduled to leave soon; and if there were one that was leaving now, he'd be out of there!

Rinoa walked around Dollet, mesmerized by the statues that lined the city. It looked similar to Timber, small and cluttered, but it was more appealing and felt more pleasing to the eye than Timber. At least the air wasn't bad. In the air, one could taste the salt from the water nearby. She could feel the light breeze and occasionally see the trees that were lined up on the streets blowing in the wind. Dollet was truly a nice place to be. While walking around, she noticed that Angelo had disappeared from her side.

"Angelo!" She called out, and after a few seconds, her faithful companion caught up to her, but a tiny girl ran behind.

"Hey, wait lost doggie! I'll find your home!" The girl never looked at Rinoa, but her eyes seemed to focus only on Angelo. Rinoa smiled.

"She's not lost! "Rinoa said while grinning. The girl looked up with a fright.

"Oh! S-sorry!" She laughed. "I guess that's solved! Are you the owner?"  
"Yeah, and her name's Angelo."

"What a pretty name! Angelo!" The dog instantly barked. "That's funny, she did the same thing when I called her Fluffy!" Angelo barked again. "See!"  
Rinoa laughed while the girl patted the dog again.

"She really likes that name. You can call her that if you like." Angelo instantly made a frown, and a whine to go along with it.

"Oh, suddenly, I don't think that's a good idea. Poor thing. Well, she seems to be very smart."  
"She is! Watch this!" Rinoa took pride in showing off Angelo's abilities. The two girls were all caught up in laughter and excitement created by Angelo, and Angelo enjoyed all the attention given to her by her own eras well as the new friendly face.

Squall had found a vessel that was scheduled to leave late a night. The seaman switched his time schedule after the threat of Galbadia. He had rather travel and arrive back home by morning, just in case the soldiers had tried to make another attack on Dollet the following day. Squall saw a problem in the man's plan, but opted not to say anything fearing the price for the two tickets would double. Squall seriously thought he should tell him that Galbadia was known for striking at night when the enemy least expected, needless to say they _are_ known for extreme cowardice.

After purchasing the tickets, he turned away and walked down the boardwalk of the harbor. Looking out into the sea, he sighed softly into the wind. He was almost back to Balamb, and his little adventure would be over; right when it was just starting to feel like it had begun. He felt himself become a little depressed, but before he could act on his emotions, there was a loud voice to call out to him.

"Squall! Is that you!" Zell yelled to him from behind. Squall turned around to face him, and simply nodded. "It's good to see_ you_ here, man!" Zell ran to Squall and grabbed his waist, but Squall quickly pushed him off. Zell paid no mine to him, as he was used to the cruel treatment from Squall Leonhart.

"You must be the SeeD Cid was talking about." _Why didn't he just tell me it was Zell?_

"Yeah, I was stationed here. Didn't you hear about that? I told everyone I was going on a mission! Do you know how long it's been since I last _had_ a mission? I'm tellin' ya, things got so cool when you were suspend-I mean-uh...haha…" He quickly turned away. Squall walked around him. Zell looked at him. "Hey, don't be that way! I'm just so excited to see you! Do you know what this means?"

"No." Squall replied unenthusiastically.

"I get to go back! Finally! You have no idea how long I was here, man!"

"I think I'm beginning to get the idea…"

"You don't change, do you? Oh well, it's not like you're bad or anything."

_Says who? I almost killed Rinoa, and she's innocent-What the…what am I saying?_ He shrugged and continued to walk.

"Are you here with anyone? Where are you going? Are you heading back to Balamb?"

"I'm going to Balamb, and someone's following me."  
"What do you mean? Should I knock 'em out, I'm dying for some combat!"

"No, it's no one dangerous…well….kinda…but.."

"huh?"  
"Forget I mentioned it." Squall sighed and walked back into town. Zell had followed behind and saw Selphie up ahead playing with a dog.

"Selphie!"

"Hiya, Zell! Come check this out!" She answered. Zell ran by Squall's side and nodded his head toward Selphie.  
"I'm here with someone. She's-"

"The SeeD from Trabia?" Squall had returned to his serious dutiful mode.  
"Yeah. So Garden knows what happened?"

"Pretty much."

"So, what are you doing here?"

"On a mission."

"What kind of mission? Come on Squall, I'm a SeeD, too. You can tell me!"

"...Fine. I was sent to exterminate the leftover Galbadian soldiers in Timber, and also to sneak around the place a bit."

"What did you find?"

"Nothing, really."

"Hmm…wonder what's happening on the outside world?" Zell asked himself aloud before running to Selphie and the dog.

_He sure has been here for **way** too long…_ Squall thought to himself. He looked at Selphie and the dog she had been petting. _Oh, great. She found the mutt… So where's its owner?_ Rinoa was standing on the side watching the dog being pat and adored. He was surprised she hadn't shown off the dog's skills. If the dog was so wonderful, why couldn't '_it'_ escort her to Dollet? Squall grunted slightly, figuring he might as well join them.

"She's so adorable!" Selphie squealed. Squall sighed. _Great; yet another hyper case._

"Yeah, she is!" Zell said.

"Rinoa! Show Zell that trick you made her do!" Selphie shouted in a kiddy voice.

"Okay!"  
_Why am I not surprised? Rinoa already showed off the mutt to her. _Squall mentally sighed, followed by Zell's gasp as if the dog was performing a life and death trick. Angelo rolled over and barked.

"That's pretty cool!" Zell exclaimed.

_**This**? **This** was all the excitement! I've seen Chocobos jump through rings of fire! But this! This is absolutely-- _"Ridiculous!" He hadn't meant to speak it aloud. He didn't know why, but he suddenly became embarrassed when the three of their heads turned simultaneously toward him. He scratched the back of his head and sighed, "Whatever."

He walked away, listening to their snickering. Finally Zell overcame the goofiness and looked at Selphie.

"That was Squall. Don't worry, that's just the way he is."

"He seems like he doesn't care." Selphie added.  
"I think he does care." Rinoa said. "He just doesn't like talking about it much."

"Whatever." Squall said loud enough showing them he could hear them, but the laughter only became worse that time.

"Yeah, he's always been that way for as long as I've known him. How do you know him Rinoa-oh…you must be..." Zell stopped, remembering Squall's comment.  
"! Who?" She seemed to become nervous. Zell thought he was offending her.

"He mentioned you just a little while ago. Said you were following him, or something." Zell smiled as she sighed in relief.

_It's good to see that he's honest. _She laughed a little, almost embarrassed, "Well, I tagged along because there wasn't much for me to do in Timber."

"OH, you're from Timber! Duh, Zell!" He slapped himself. "Where else would you be from? The only other towns over that way and north are both Winhill and Deling City."

She felt herself give a little gasp as he spoke, and Zell noticed, "Huh, did I say something wrong?"

"N-no. I'm sorry. I'm just tired from all the walking we did today. To tell you the truth, I'm a little hungry."

"Hey! You're hungry? Come with me, they let me and Zell eat all day for free, and we'll sleep all night for free, too!" Selphie exclaimed proudly.

"Really! How?"  
" 'Cause we helped clear out a few people from Galbadia." She chuckled in between, "Gave 'em a big scare!" They all laughed and showed Rinoa around.

* * *

After Rinoa had eaten with Selphie and Zell, they took her to the hotel where they all decided to rest for the day. Squall was too worried about the upcoming trip to rest. He found himself daydreaming and sighing into the water. How in the world was he supposed to explain to the headmaster that he'd taken a survivor with him?

Once again, he sighed to himself. _I guess all I have to do now is let the man sail us over to Balamb City. I wonder if Balamb is okay, and the school? Cid seemed to be a little worried about something. What was he trying to tell me? He hadn't looked that way since Esthar launched its attack and we engaged in war. I wish he'd inform me of things more…it seems like I'm always the last to know. The last to know about Esthar's threat toward us, my suspension…the entire Garden knew about that before **me**! I'm pretty sure Zell's mom heard through gossip that I was suspended before I ever knew that, myself. If I'm not the last to know…everything just feels so awkward. Why do I always end up doing this? I feel like I can't go on whenever I sit around and think, but as soon as I speak aloud, all of that energy appears valuable…If that just made any sense at all." _He picked up a rock from the ground and threw it into the water. "This sucks…"

"Wow, so you _can_ talk like them." Rinoa's voice interrupted him.

"Rinoa? What are you doing here?"  
"I caught up with all my sleep this evening. Well, not all of it. I couldn't sleep, actually." She laughed, "I remember Zell saying that he saw you buy tickets from a man that's heading out tonight-"

"You thought I'd leave you here?"

"…Yeah." She smirked and looked at him. He looked forward, but had smiled to himself. He slowly shook his head.

"Well…I won't lie to you, I _did_ think about it. Perhaps you should stay-"  
"Not here! I'll stay in Balamb City. That way, I'll be safe from Galbadia."

"You can't guarantee it. Dollet is under our control, and look at what happened to them. It was because of their Militia that the Galbadians turned away. Balamb doesn't have a Militia…pretty much, they rely on us to do the job."

"Well, it's almost the same."

"Not really. It takes a while to get there. By the time we arrive, the violence may already start and damage is inflicted."

"But even so, it would be better if I lose myself there in the crowds. I could hideaway!"

"No way! As soon as you get into trouble, you'll come following me again!" He begun to sound angry, and she found herself smiling.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing, I just don't want you complaining to me!" Still he was angry.

"If there's something you want to tell me…Spit it out!" She turned to face him directly, but he couldn't dare face her. He continued looking forward.

"It would be better if you go some place where many people could watch over you."

"Where _you_ could watch over me?" Quickly, his face turned toward hers.

"What!" He found himself embarrassed and blushing slightly. He moved away from her. What was happening to him? What was she doing to him?

"I'm sorry, I was just joking!" She said while laughing.

"R-right." He cleared his throat and faced forward.

"How long before the boat ride?"

"Half an hour, I'll go wake up Zell and Selphie."

"Not now. They looked tired, just give them some time."

"…" He stood silent and finally replied, "Alright, but only a few minutes." She found herself smiling again. Squall was becoming so easy to toy with. Slowly, little by little, she was going to get him to talk to her.

"Why aren't you sleeping? You haven't been asleep since I met you."  
"I'm not tired." He said plainly. She sighed.

"Neither am I." Squall looked at her as she watched the night sky, and for a split second, found his shoulders relaxing. He looked at his ring, realizing he hadn't given it its daily turn. Quietly, he played with his Griever ring, and he hadn't noticed that Rinoa watched him with great interest. "What is that?"

"...A ring."

"Yeah, I know that, but what shape is that?"

"…" He stood quiet, contemplating if he should give her an answer or not.

"Whatever it is seems to have powerful jaws. I can tell that much by its design. Hey, you know, it looks similar to that pendent you're wearing around your neck, too-"

Finally he gave a sigh, "It's called Griever, a great lion." _It symbolizes pride and strength. This ring gives me strength as I face my opponents, everyday._

"Lions are strong and prideful, but mostly, they lay around lazily until threatened by hunger or enemies."  
_"Who asked you?" _Squall wanted to tell her, but kept it inside.

"I see why you wear it. I think it's a wonderful role model."

"...He's not like _other _lions. He's not _lazy_." He said. She smiled and looked away from him. Placing her hand on the ring around her neck. He heard the chime of the ring as she held it away from her chest and watched it sparkle in her fingers. He tilted his head quizzically, and she understood his mental question.

"This is my mother's ring, she gave it to me…I don't know why, but having this ring here makes me feel like I'm not alone-"

"Like she's right beside you and guiding you?" He turned away from her.

"Yeah." She smiled. "Always have felt that way, ever since she died…I can still feel her presence."

_Died? Must it always turn that way? The people you grow up with or those who help you always die. I don't like it, I don't like when people die. I don't like it when they get too close to me, just to die the next day! I hate the way the world works. How am I supposed to accept her when I'm not certain that she'll leave, too? _Squall thought while looking into the water. She saw his eyes twinkling, but nothing fell from them. It was a sad sight.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have brought that up." She stood to her feet. "I'll go awaken Zell and Selphie." Before he could respond, she was running back to the hotel. Not that he _wanted_ to respond to her.

* * *

During the boat trip, Zell and Selphie were out on the deck looking at the night sky; both yawning and forcing to keep themselves awake. Squall, on the other hand, was wide-awake as he had previously been. Rinoa wondered why he always had to be so serious. At this point, she may not be able to help him, and only find herself ticking him off just a little further than she already had. Selphie yawned and stretched, "…I don't think I can keep this up. How about you, Zell? Zell?"

"Zzzzzz ...Oh-huh!" He jumped up quickly. Selphie laughed at him and shook her head.

"That's a shame. You don't think he'll get mad if we go to sleep, would he?"

"I don't know, you can go ask him if you want." Zell wasn't consciously aware that he just Selphie into the snake pit.

"Sure, why not?" Selphie happily ran to a secluded area where Squall had barricaded himself away from the others. "Hey, Squall!" He looked up from his train of thoughts. When she saw that she'd gotten his attention, she smirked. "Zell and I are still a bit tired, do you think it's okay that we go to sleep, or do you still need us to help keep watch?" Selphie asked sweetly, the sweetness was to her disadvantage because Squall just couldn't handle it. He looked away from her and grunted. She tilted her head down and sighed. "You still need us to watch, I guess."

"...Do what you want, you're not my responsibility." He finally answered. He remembered the Headmaster's request. He was supposed to make sure the SeeDs were okay, but that didn't mean he had to order them around. He was happy to see the girl had cheered just as Rinoa would do, and ran off to tell Zell; no doubt in Squall's mind that Zell was probably well aware that he would go easier on Selphie.

After a few moments, Zell and Selphie were sound asleep within the cabin. Squall remained where he had taken his seat out on deck, fiddling around with is pendent. He hadn't been to sleep in what felt like months. Never did he feel the need to sleep, he had seen too much in his short life. And his dreams were nothing more than nightmares. He would wake up in the middle of the night dripping in cold sweat. Most of the nightmares were war scenes, and they often felt real. He was always involved in actual combat.

Battles were his favorite sport, but to be involved in combat within a dream was a nightmare. He was forced to run around without his Revolver, wandering aimlessly on the plains of what seemed like Esthar. Every soldier approaching him, but he could never attack them. It was total panic, and it scared the life out of him. He would occasionally have other dreams too, but this was one of the worst dreams ever. He closed his eyes and thought about another dream he had had before when he accidentally let himself fall asleep.

As his eyes were closing that night, all the faces of the men he slaughtered rushed past his eyes. He heard their screams and pleads, but they were tuned out with the sounds of war all around. He looked down into his hand and saw his gunblade, but it was bloodier than it would turn out to be after a few battles. It dripped with blood that slowly leaked to his feet. He dropped the sword and looked around to see only that of darkness. He was alone, and had killed all those around. He saw the blood trail touch the tips of his boots, which formed a huge puddle that quickly evolved into an ocean.

He felt himself drowning, and the hands of those he had slain before were pulling him down. He screamed out and yelled but no one could hear his calls. Suddenly, he saw her face at the edge of his ocean of blood. He didn't understand how she was there. She looked at him and sobbed quietly. Even though he was drowning, he couldn't bring himself to call out to her. He couldn't bring himself to get her help. She was already too weak anyway, what else could she do but sit and watch him struggle within his own sins?

Finally, he called out to her, but it was too late…she had already begun walking away from him. He felt himself getting the urge to cry. His eyes were burning and he called out once more. He was surprised to see that she turned around to look at him.

"Squall…" She spoke softly. It was too real for him. He sat up in a panic and found himself panting, breathing abnormally. "Squall! Are you okay!" Rinoa said in panic.

He wiped his face and turned away from her.

"You were trembling…"

"…Trembling? I must have fallen asleep."

"Yeah. I thought I should wake you up. I'm sorry if you didn't want to be bothered." He wasn't upset with her as she thought, he was thankful that she'd waken him up. The dream felt so real, and one day it would probably _be_ real. She sighed and took a seat beside him. "What were you dreaming about, you want to talk about it?" She smiled.

"No." He stood and walked away from her immediately. "It looks like we're almost there." He saw the shorelines, and then Balamb's harbor. Rinoa found herself sighing.

"That's good…" Rinoa was unhappy to see the shore.

"How long was I asleep?"

"Well…a few minutes, I suppose."

"…Okay."

"Hey, Squall. Once we get to Balamb Garden, don't leave me okay?"

"It won't matter where you are in that place, it'll be safe enough."  
"If I get into trouble then I'll tell them that you said it was okay. I'll say, 'Squall…um.."

"Well?"

"They won't believe me if I don't know your last name."  
"Leonhart."

"Squall Leonhart told me it was okay to do so."

"Stop panicking so much, you're giving _me_ a headache."

She laughed and walked away from him. After docking, they headed into the city and rented a car. Thus, they were on their way back to Balamb.

* * *


	7. Courage

_**Clash of the Gardens**_

_**

* * *

**__**Courage**_

* * *

Headmaster Cid had finally managed to tell his students about the war threats from Galbadia. Things were hectic around Garden as people rushed trying to get things in order. Magic stones, weapons, skills and techniques, everything that would help aid them in the battle was being gathered. The Garden now waited for Galbadia's reply.

It would take sometime to consider where the battle would take place; however, Headmaster Cid knew that Deling couldn't be trusted. He insisted all the SeeDs to prepare for an attack should there be any disturbances within the city of Balamb or their Garden. Xu was in charge of placing the SeeDs to different squads, and she assigned Quistis to her side. Quistis found herself smiling, because Xu was so predictable. She knew exactly that if Xu would be the '_last resort,'_ than so would she.

* * *

Back in Galbadia, Irvine Kinneas walked through the exiting gates. He had received his mission, and was told to handle it with care. The President had stressed '_care'_ to the young man, as he was known to not take anything seriously. He seemed to get by in Garden, but proved to be one of the hidden talents along with Almasy. Irvine's mission was simple, and all he had to do was get the target quickly. 

His Valiant was strapped securely to his side, and he carried a box with some unknown contents. Only he knew what would be in the box, but was told not to stay anything, otherwise, he'd be sought out and killed by Deling, himself. Kinneas had pushed the old man aside, and whistled. He remembered so clearly what the President said.

"_If you weren't the best shot we've got, I would never have hired you for this job."_

Kinneas laughed at the old man and shook his head. "If I weren't the best shot, I wouldn't have been hired for _any_ job." He laughed and hopped into one of the Galbadian vehicles parked on the side. Pulling away, he headed for Timber to seek his target.

- - -

Seifer was tapping his gunblade on his shoulder, waiting for the President to end the conversation on the phone. Seifer was becoming impatient by the second.

"I don't care what you do. Destroy them. Yeah, the kid's on his way! Don't make me repeat myself! Good!" Deling shouted. He sat behind his desk with the back of his chair facing Seifer. Finally, the old man terminated the phone conversation and turned the huge chair around to face Seifer. "Thank you for coming."

"Yeah. What is it that you wish?"

"Eager, aren't we?"

"I suppose…" Seifer replied, only to hear Deling laughing to himself.

"I've called you here to give you new orders. The enemy believes that we are waiting to give them time to prepare. We'll use this time to strike. Because their defenses have weakened dramatically, this will be a small victory for us. After conquering Balamb, they'll fight with us against Trabia." Deling was so ahead of himself. Seifer couldn't help but smirk as he thought to himself.

_I witnessed Balamb's forces first hand. I was surprised by their strength, but even more surprised to hear that they lost to Esthar; that pathetic excuse for a country. Still, I bet he didn't die…Somehow, I know he's still there, waiting for me to take his life. _Seifer continued to smirk.

"And you are to support these troops with all your might!" Deling had still been rambling on while Seifer was thinking.

"W-what! Support? What do you mean? Aren't I supposed to lead the attack head on!" Seifer complained.

"No, you will join the next battle. Save Balamb for Irvine."

"Excuse me?"

"You think I don't know what happened in the Esthar battle?"

"What are you trying to say? You don't think I can handle them?"

"You did enough damaged to Balamb already; in fact, you cost them the war. The soldiers you took down were SeeDs from Balamb. I released you cadets along Balamb's quarters in order to stir some trouble for them. You've taken enough of Balamb from me, so as I stated before, leave it to Kinneas." Deling spoke clearly.

Seifer laughed, "You think I'll decrease the SeeD count again? You want them to surrender to you in order to fight against Trabia. You want them to remain strong. Don't you know, they'll rise up and attack you?"

"They won't do such a thing. Missiles speak for themselves."

"You're going to threaten them?"

"Do not question me about this any further."

"Sure, and what about Kinneas? What's he going to do?"

"Do you remember the SeeD that gave you that scar of humiliation?"  
"Humili-_nonsense_!" Seifer half spoke and thought at once.

"I think you know what skills Kinneas has. That SeeD was a problem to Esthar. I've decided to take action. With him out of the way, Balamb will fall."

"No! I wanted to do that myself!" Seifer growled and stood from his seat. "I don't think Kinneas is prepared for this job!"

"You're doubting your own comrade's abilities?"

"…"

"Have you _any_ faith?"

"…I only think he's not suited for this mission."  
Deling laughed and turned the back of his chair to Seifer's face. "Seifer, you will have a high place in the war against Trabia, I save the best for last." He spoke in an almost cold tone, Seifer could only found himself growling with rage.

"Please see your way out, Almasy." Seifer slammed the door as he left the office of Deling. In a mad fit he walked through the halls. The man was a cheater, and had no passion for battle. Seifer looked around angrily for something to ease his mind. Suddenly, a soldier ran to him with haste. He gritted his teeth and looked at the saluting soldier.

"Sir Almasy!"

"…What is it?" His voice was disturbingly low.

"Sir, I have orders from General Caraway!"

"I don't take orders from him." Seifer said while beginning to walk.

"No, sir. I understand. But it's urgent. He said he would like you to meet him at his office in Deling City, Sir!"

"Deling City, No a chance."  
"With all due respect, sir-" The soldier quieted his tone, "He can't speak to you here, people are always listening in. He asked me to escort you to his vehicle."

"This better be important."

"It is, but he hasn't told anyone else what he wants from you. I wish I could explain more, but there's no more to tell."

"_I wonder if the car will explode when I get into it-"_

"Sir!" The soldier disrupted his thoughts.

"Alright, I'm coming along!" Seifer shouted and motioned the man to lead him to the car. It was off to Deling City for Seifer, and on to Balamb for Irvine. Irvine had reached Timber and stepped out of his Galbadian Vehicle. He was shocked to have the smell of corpses and pollution greet his nostrils. In an instant, he found himself puking beside the car. Finally, he regained his composure and took a cloth from his pocket. After wiping his face, he sighed sadly while looking at the bodies of those who had died by the missiles.

"There were…of course, there were…children." He said to sympathetically. Slowly he looked around for signs of any life. There he saw some people sitting around weeping, and others were digging into the ground just miles away from the town. He was surprised to see the bodies of some Galbadian Soldiers too. He sighed and took off his hat, pulling it to his chest and closing his eyes. Irvine saluted the dead.

"Hey, did you just get out of that truck?" A civilian asked him, interrupting his moment of peace.

"Ugh…Y-yeah." He was nervous. The old woman looked at him and sighed. He could see the terror and anguish in her eyes. He sighed and wondered how she had managed to escape the missiles alive.

"What do you people want!" She was angry and scolded him with her eyes. He didn't know what to do. He didn't want to respond, and he knew how she felt. He had no right to say anything to her.

"…I…I had no idea." He knew about the missiles, but he didn't know that it would be _this_ bad. He felt his stomach turn, and his knees became weaker. He suddenly felt like he was responsible for this mess, after all, he was a part of the army that did this to these innocent people.

"Get out of here!" She said angrily.

"…M'am, please. Are the trains still working?"

"I'm not telling you anything." And with that, she turned away. He looked around at the dead, lined upon the ground. The survivors managed to put them in order before they began the burial. They dragged each body, if whole and identifiable, and closed their eyes. From adults to children, they lied on the ground. He stared at these people until he could no longer stare anymore. Slowly he put his hat back onto his head, with a sigh, he turned his back to the dead.

He had made a promise to them, and slowly, a small smirk formed upon his lips. Back to his vehicle, he climbed in and started the engine. Irvine drove through Timber and saw where the Trains left for Balamb. Looking around, he saw that the course was clear. Of course, there were a few civilians calling out to him, yelling at him because he was Galbadian. The crazy cowboy found himself laughing and driving onto the tracks leading to Balamb. Irvine drove the car straight into the tunnel that went under the sea. If the civilians wouldn't get him across, he would make himself a way to Balamb.

* * *

Squall and the others had finally reached Balamb. The gates were opened and things seemed to be in order. Zell sighed and jumped out of the car. 

"No place like home! Come on, Selphie!" Zell said while grabbing the girl's hand and pulling her forcefully along with him. She laughed and followed him. Rinoa was too sleepy to laugh. She looked at Squall who seemed to be still focused on driving.

"Where are we going?"

"I have to pull the car into the parking lot. You can wait here if you want."

"No, I'll go with you."

He drove and finally found himself parking at the very front of the garage. He didn't want to walk through into of Balamb from the Parking lot, he would really get suspended for bringing a stranger directly into Garden's base. She followed him as he walked back to the front gate, but he was strangely quiet.

"What are you going to say to your Headmaster?"

"…I'll just tell him that you're one of the survivors of Timber, he'll understand."

"Are you sure?"

"No."

"Are you _trying_ to make me panic?"  
"_Me_? _You're_ the one who keeps asking me about the Headmaster. You panic enough on your own." He said seriously. She laughed softly at him.

"Okay. I know, but I just want to be sure."

"Whatever."  
She placed her hand on her forehead and giggled again.

When they reached the front hall of the Garden they were met by Quistis, Zell, and Selphie. Zell had seemed to explain the situation to Quistis already, and Quistis just smiled as she saw Squall approaching. She moved to Rinoa and nodded to Squall, he shrugged his shoulders. Quistis outreached her hand to Rinoa with a smile.

"Welcome to Balamb, Rinoa, I'm Quistis Trepe." The smiled faded, "I'm sorry for your lost."

"…It's-it's…" Rinoa could only shake her hand. Somehow, Squall knew should wouldn't be able to respond to Quistis' remark.

"Where is the Headmaster? His office?" Squall interrupted. Quistis turned her attention from the young woman and looked at Squall. Slowly she let go of Rinoa's hand and cleared her throat.

"Yes. Xu will inform him that you all have arrived. Things are going crazy around here."

"What do you mean, it looks fine to me!" Zell commented.

"No, I'm sure the Headmaster will inform you. Please, follow me." They all nodded and headed toward the elevator.

"Wow, this place is so big!" Selphie exclaimed while looking around.

"Yeah, it's designed that way for a reason. With more places around, it's impossible for the SeeDs to become over worked with just fighting. This is more of an education department rather than all fighting, which is why and how we differ greatly from Galbadia. Rumor has it that Galbadia's Soldiers and SeeDs hardly ever have any time for play. But that place is so big. In fact, it's the biggest of all three of the Gardens." Quistis sounded like a tour guide to Squall, but he suddenly remembered that Selphie wasn't used to Balamb.

"Yeah, I heard about that one. I'm glad I went to Trabia."  
"By the way, why aren't you in uniform?" Quistis asked curiously.

"I didn't want the people in Dollet to look at me differently, so I went to a clothing store and bought this dress. Pretty cool, eh?"

"Uh, cool… Yeah. It's nice."

"Psst…Selphie, you're forgettin' where we are." Zell whispered in Selphie's ear. She sighed and shook her head.

"Sorry, I just didn't want to make them feel like they were in any danger. But they took real good care of me, and so did Zell." She revised.

Finally the elevator stopped, Squall was thankful for that. Quistis stepped out first, followed by Zell, Selphie, then Rinoa and Squall. Quistis stopped at his door and looked back to the people that followed behind her.

"Rinoa…" Rinoa stopped and looked at Quistis.

"Yes?"

"Have we met before? Your name sounds awfully familiar."

"I don't think we have. I'm sure I would've remembered someone like you, you're very nice."

"Thank you. Hmm, but I'm not sure. Forgive me, I'll show you all in now." Quistis knocked on the door, and was greeted by the headmaster himself.

"Quistis, come in." He said as he opened the door. "I was expecting you all. Xu informed me of your arrival. I'm glad that you are all here and I hope your journey wasn't too difficult."

"Sir, it was nice to see Dollet!" Zell said enthusiastically. The Headmaster nodded to the young man.

"Please, you two have a seat." He looked at Selphie and Rinoa. Rinoa felt herself becoming nervous, as was Selphie. The two of them looked at each other and finally took a seat. Zell complained in his mind, _"He didn't ask if I was tired!"_

"Which one of you is Selphie Tilmitt?"  
"That's me, sir." Selphie said confidently.

"Welcome to Balamb, I hear you are an outstanding SeeD from Trabia."

"I was one of the best SeeDs there, sir. I was always at the side of Headmaster Martine, the former and late master of Galbadia."

"I understand. I will contact Trabia right away. Don't worry, we will find you transportation back to Trabia. In the meantime, make yourself at home. We will place you in a dormitory for the time being. Will that do?"  
"Oh yes, sir! That would be lovely, I wouldn't mind staying here in this big—"

Selphie was still going on in her excited, but was cut off by Zell when he cleared is throat. She looked back at him and held her giggles, "Thank you, sir." She said.

Headmaster Cid smiled and nodded to her. He turned his attention to Rinoa and kept the same friendly smile on his face.

"Then you must be Rinoa Heartilly."

"Yes, sir." She returned his smile.

"Because you are a survivor of Timber, feel free to stay as long as you like. You'll also be supplied with a dorm room. I don't want any of you feeling left out around here, remember, make yourselves at home at Balamb Garden." Rinoa's smile brightened.

"Thank you." She said, sounding more professional than Selphie, and for a moment everyone forgot that Selphie was the actual SeeD.

"Here's the situation. I feel we all need to know what's going on. Quistis, if you have any other duties, you may be excuse to tend to them."

"Yes, sir." She saluted and exited the room.

"Now…Trabia and Galbadia have decided that war is the best solution. They feel that the lost of their leader was too much, and have taken on a step of retaliation. As far as I know, they haven't engaged in any combat yet, but a battle is expected soon."

Rinoa was quiet; she couldn't understand Trabia's reason for declaring war on Galbadia. Was it for Timber at all? No, it was for their leader. What about Timber? What happened to the deal that was made? Was it there ever a deal? _What happened between Zone and Martine? Why didn't he promise us freedom?_

The headmaster continued to speak, "However, Galbadia suddenly decided that they wanted Dollet. Deling wanted me to hand over Dollet without a fight, and if I had done so, things would have gone hectic at Dollet. It might have turned into another incident like Timber's. I feared that the people would retaliate and force Deling to flaunt those missiles again."

"Sir, the Galbadians were present at Dollet for a short time, but the Militia was made sure to turn them away." Zell informed him.

"Exactly, just like in Timber, there's an anti-Galbadia force present in Dollet."

"What does this mean? Did you hand over Dollet?" Selphie asked.  
"I'm getting to that-"  
_Well hurry up! _Squall thought to himself. Cid could see the impatience growing on his face. He moved his glasses from his face.

"Unfortunately, I have agreed to war against Galbadia's Military. I don't want any more missiles to be sent out to slaughter innocents again."

Squall looked down at Rinoa, and even though he stood behind her, he could tell that she was shaking in fear. She was beginning to feel the pain of that day. Everything that happened, everything she couldn't control. Squall focused his eyes on the sidewall of Cid's office.

"I'm sorry about this, I really am. I just wanted you all to be aware of the situation. I don't want anyone to panic." He went silent for a moment. "…You all should prepare for battle, be on guard. Understood?"  
In a unison, they all replied to him, "Yes, sir."

* * *

Squall was ordered to show Rinoa to her dorm room. He waited outside before she walked inside; however, she stopped and sighed. _Squall; tell me that everything will be okay. Tell me this isn't my fault. ...But who am I kidding, you don't even care…_ She passed a sad look into his eyes, and he turned away from her, purposely avoiding contact. _I'm not supposed to be here. Squall, I'm not supposed to be here!_

He sighed and turned away from her. She stopped him from leaving by placing her hand on his arm. It took him a minute to flinch, and push her hand away. He turned to look at her. She took a deep breath and spoke, "…Why do you think Galbadia is doing this?"

"...Everyone knows that the President wants power over every other military force. Either they join or oppose. He also wants to control the towns, but I'm sure _you_ know that better than anyone." He spoke in an informative manner, but Rinoa only looked away.

"Trabia… Why do you think they struck? Do you think they even care about Timber?"

"How am I supposed to know? You should ask Selphie about that, after all, she _was_ there." Squall said while turning away. _Perhaps they could form a grieving corner together, too._

"Thank you." She saw his hand wave as he continued to walk, and for a moment she knew that he cared. If he didn't care, he probably wouldn't have told her that Selphie was a more reliable source for this specific information than himself. Rinoa smiled and looked at her room number, trying to remember the digits carved into a gold layer on her door.

Selphie had just left her room, and was surprised to see Rinoa walking toward her. She smiled and met with Rinoa. "Hey, Rinoa! Where are you off to?"

"Um, nowhere really. I wanted to ask you something."  
"Oh, sure. What is it?" Selphie said cheerfully. Rinoa couldn't understand how she could be so happy after those incidents of the past few days. For a moment, she understood how Squall might have felt when she would laugh around him for stupid reasons, made him feel like nothing. She only laughed just to annoy him, which in the end, made her feel better. Rinoa decided to ask Selphie about Trabia's contract.

She sighed, "Selphie. About your visit to Timber, whom did your Headmaster speak with?"

"Oh yeah, you're part of the Faction Organizations…so you should know that better than I do. Some guys named, Zone and uh…Watts. I think."

"Yeah, yeah, those are the guys. They're my best friends-" Suddenly Rinoa stopped. She hadn't realized that she used them in present tense, and slowly she corrected herself. "They were my best friends."

"I'm sorry about that. I tried to help them in the battle, but things took a turn for the worse."  
"…Yeah, I know…I'm sorry for making you think about that, but could you tell me what kind of contract Trabia made with Galbadia?"

"Of course!" The girl said in an attempt to clear all the sad memories from her mind. Rinoa could still tell that it had been bothering her too. "We agreed to support you in a fight if things got out of hand. Headmaster Martine was prepared to fight against Galbadia for you. He gave the Factions his full support."

"Really?"

"Yeah, but before he could attempt to write up a contract, we were ambushed. That's when things got hectic! My partner and I went out to help fight off Galbadia, fearing that they were trying to hurt the Resistance Factions. Martine followed behind us. Together we were to fight, but…" She stopped and her face dropped down.

A frown appeared on Selphie's face, as well as Rinoa's, she tried to continue. "It was horrible! They shot him, and my partner. I couldn't do anything but watch. I ran before they saw me. It was a good thing there was a crowd. My uniform was able to blend with the uniforms of Galbadia, even though it was obvious that I was a SeeD. I was scared…"

"Do you see any body there? Anybody who stood out from the crowd?"

"…There was one man there, but he wasn't in any uniform. I watched him climb into one of the Galbadian vehicles after the missiles exploded everything. I couldn't get a real good look at his face, but I do know that his hair looked blonde from the distance. He was wearing this long brown coat, and carrying a sword. I don't know if he was a part of the Resistance Factions or not, and at that point, I really didn't care. I was only concerned about those people who were caught in all that smoke and debris. So many people, Rinoa…"

"I know, Selphie. I know." Rinoa could only hug Selphie. The past few days had been hard for them both, and Rinoa hadn't realized that Selphie was there to witness everything as it happened. It was a wonder that the girl escaped all the turmoil. Rinoa sighed and closed her eyes, while Selphie began to cry.

Squall had stayed a little longer than he intended to; though the girls hadn't seen him, he was standing further down the hallway where the hall turned off to the main walkway. He could hear their conversation well. When he heard the girls crying, he decided to excuse himself. He didn't understand how they could just stand around and talk like there was no tomorrow. How they cried and agonized about the past, he didn't understand. With a sigh, he decided to head over to his favorite past time of the day: the Training Center.

* * *

It was quiet, maybe even _too_ quiet. It was dark, disturbing, and disgusting; it was…_the_ stupidest idea Irvine Kinneas had ever come up with. In the midst of his incredible plan, the Galbadian Vehicle ran out of fuel; now he walked in the tunnel underneath the ocean. It seemed like forever, and Irvine cursed himself every step of the way. He had been walking for hours with no way of getting out of the tunnel, but forward. He figured, _"I'm bound to reach my destination if I keep heading this way. If I go back, it'll all be a waste of time._" It was damp, and no air seemed to pass through. Irvine could no longer tell the difference between cold and hot, as the two seem to go hand in hand now. He thought he would suffocate whilst in the tunnel. 

Finally, he dared himself to look up. In the past three hours all hope was lost after each time he saw the same darkness ahead, but this time, he saw something. There in the distance was a speck of light. He found himself becoming excited, Irvine pushed toward the light, "Yes! Yes!" He shouted while running faster than any mortal ever dare.

* * *

Deling City, the city that never sleeps, that was more like it. Everything glistened brightly, and the loudness of parties could be annoying to any small town visitor. Seifer seemed to welcome the noise with open arms. He loved visiting Deling City. He only pretended to hate it so much because that tight-neck lived here. He was greeted at the door by more Galbadian Soldiers, and brought inside to Caraway's Chambers. 

Caraway sat at his desk and seemed to be more worried than usual. Upon entering, Seifer seemed to hold the same grin since the last time the two spoke. The man cringed at the sight of him. Seifer chose to initiate the conversation.

"What is it this that you want?"

"I think I know where she is or could have gone."

"…Rinoa?"

"Who else am I talking about!"

"Caraway, didn't I tell you before about that temper of yours. You don't want me to abandon whatever it is that you need me to do."

"…Don't you do that, I know you want to find her. Don't even try to play smart with me, kid."

"What do you want? Tell me before I walk out of here!"

"Very well. ...One of the guards who had been ordered to search through the debris for Martine's body and any documents he carried, suddenly became the survivor of an attack after the entire bombing incident. It seems that some person had been taking down soldiers that were stationed in Timber. This guard says that Rinoa was there along with the 'soldier killer', and she was looking at the bodies of some Resistance Faction Members. He also said that the man threatened to kill him, but decided to let him go. The man had dark brown hair and a scar much like yours on his eyes. Do you know anything about that?"

"…_So you are alive, after all."_ Seifer smiled. "It was a Balamb SeeD. The guy I had the pleasure of fighting about a year ago. We gave each other these nice souvenirs, see?" Seifer said sarcastically while sliding his finger across his face.

"I'm glad you know how he looks."

"What do you need me to do?"

"I want you to get Rinoa back."

"Why are you worried about her, everyone knows she ran away from you..."  
"Don't you play those games with me, Almasy! You were only supposed to get her out of Timber before! You weren't supposed to tell the President."

"I didn't say anything to that guy. He was looking for a reason to test out his weapons, and you know that better than I do."

"Well, he better not have a reason to strike Balamb before you get there."

"Too late, he's already sending some people there as we speak."

"What?"

"Everyone's taking a sudden interest in my enemy, _I wonder why?"_ As Seifer talked, he seemed to laugh, "I think I know…because you're all afraid he's going to strike and intervene with the plans. In your case, he could kill your daughter. In Deling's place, he could stop the Galbadian soldiers." Seifer was laughing now, and it seemed to either crawl under the old man's skin, or confuse him even more.

"You say it like you aren't a part of Galbadia." Caraway spoke, and Seifer ended his laughter.

"…Well. I am a part of this organization, aren't I? It doesn't need to be said over and over. It's just a fact, a very fact that I was going to spare you. You _want me_ to refresh your memory? My rank is equivalent to yours, no higher, no less; however, the President relies more on me than he does you, and you've been working with that guy for how long? _Too_ long…" Seifer had stopped laughing a long time ago, but the grin was still there. "Personally, I think you should take the hint."

"I'm not through with my business here, and you still have an order of mine to carry out, _Lieutenant!"_ Caraway was angrier now, the kid had been right. There was no way he would let Almasy win this argument. Seifer looked at him and sighed uncomfortably.

"As I said before, what do you want me to do?"

"Retrieve Rinoa, but do whatever you wish with him. And if the other persons who were sent to Balamb are after him, you have permission to cease their operations."

"I didn't need your permission for that, I just needed to hear the order to strike. I'm going to go now. Is that all?"

"You may leave whenever you wish."

Seifer exited Caraway's chambers and later found his way out of the mansion. Caraway called the President via telephone and thought up the worse speech he could make. There was no way Seifer would get all of the glory in this mission. All he wanted was his daughter, but that scum deserved to die retrieving her. With a grimacing smile, he was connected to Deling's office. Deling answer.  
"Caraway."

"Deling. Sir, my daughter was kidnapped by Balamb's SeeD. She is now under their custody. Please, hold the war on Trabia and let's settle this matter right away."

"…Hmm…Balamb _is_ becoming trouble. I'll see to it that your daughter is safely returned to you." Deling terminated the phone lines and looked at his phone lists. He carefully dialed a number and after a few moments, someone answered.

"This is President Vinzer Deling. Unless you want this to end peacefully, you should hear me out." He paused and took a breath to continue, "I have just received word that Balamb was a part of the attack on Timber. It seems that some SeeDs other than your own, were spotted in Timber also. They carried out an attack, and kidnapped the General's daughter. Right now, there currently isn't any motive, but I do know this: The General's daughter was present at the meeting between your Headmaster and the Resistance Factions; which means, they carried out the assault and assassinated your leader. As President of Galbadia, I ask that you give me a hand in this war to rid those scoundrels from the face of the earth."

"…Very well." The ends were once again terminated. Deling smiled in satisfaction that this would be the war for all of the records and generations to come. His name would never be forgotten: Vinzer Deling, President of the World.

* * *


	8. Part 3: Life

_**Clash of the Gardens**_

_**Part III: Life

* * *

**_

_**Alert**_

* * *

****

Hours had passed since her encounter with Selphie, but Rinoa felt like it happened days before. She walked through Balamb's halls, unable to shake the feelings of insecurity that overcame her being. _Where is everyone? Where's Squall? _

Rinoa looked around and began to quicken her pace. From the main hallway, she could see the entryway of the Training Center. _The Training Center? I bet he's there… _Confident in her new ray of hope, she happily jogged to the Training Center.

Upon her arrival, Rinoa was disappointed to see how many SeeDs were present. She wondered if there were some sort of prize on the other side of the giant steel door. She looked around for Squall, but he was nowhere in sight.

There were two doors on opposite sides of the rooms. The doors on the left had opened and out paced a lively SeeD returning from his training. Zell was also one to enjoy the services that the Training Center provided, but he didn't frequent the place like Squall had.

When he saw Rinoa waiting in the main hall, he found himself grinning. _I didn't think she was the fighting type._ He laughed and called out to her.

"Hey, Rinoa. What are ya doing here?" Zell waved and stopped before her. Rinoa only sighed. She had hoped it was Squall who came through those doors. Why was she so anxious to see him? Whenever he wasn't around, it felt like something was missing; Probably because he had been with her since the beginning of her journey, or it was because he made her feel secure.

"I was looking for Squall, you haven't seen him around here, have you?"

"Nah, this crowd is too big for _him_. He really prefers to be alone in this place. I'm surprised you didn't figure that much out by yourself."

"I kinda figured that." She _did_ consider turning around when she first came across the large crowd of fighters, but she also wanted to be sure that Squall was there too, and so, she stayed. "Hey, do you know where he might be?"

"Well…I think I might be able to help you out, but you can't tell him that I told you. Okay?"

"Okay."  
"Also, you have to promise me you won't go where he is…I don't think you'll be safe _there_."

"Just _where_ is this place?"

"You really want to know?"  
"Of course."

"Alright, I'll tell you…" Zell pulled her to the side and whispered in her ear.

* * *

Because of the intense darkness and heat, Squall was losing energy quickly. He had never allowed himself to stay inside of the Fire Cavern for so long. The Training Center had been taken over by other SeeDs, and there was hardly any space left for himself. Slightly disappointed, he decided to leave campus completely and do his own training. Of course, the monsters weren't much of challenges, but he used these weaklings to help boost his magic usage. Bats, Fire Bombs, and Beuls were all that filled the Fire Cavern. He went through slaughtering the monsters with ease.

As a handicap, he cast blind on himself and listened to the positions of the bats. Even though he was blinded by the magic, Squall was confident in his accuracy skills. The sounds would help him to distinguish the proximity of himself and his foes. The bats' positions were easy to determine, considering every five seconds they would release their hideous cries while in battle. Squall sliced upward with his sword to slash the bat from the heavily polluted air of the cavern. He landed on his feet and knelt to the ground. The heat seemed to make it extremely difficult to breathe by every second. He cast an Esuna on himself and took a deep breath.

"There you are!" A voice shouted from behind. He looked back and saw Rinoa standing there with the same smile she had the day before. His eyes fell to the ground slowly.

"What is it? Why are you here?" He faced forward and stood to his feet.

"I didn't know where you were for sure."

"…Now that you've confirmed my position, you should get back to Balamb. It's dangerous here."

"Bats? Dangerous? Yeah, right." She laughed.

"I don't have time for this right now, would you please leave?"

"I'll leave in a moment. I just wanted to be sure that you're okay."

"I'm fine."

"You look like you need some air." He turned to look at her face, and there he saw her grinning, as expected. He forced himself to stay quiet. "Squall, I have a question." He tilted his head to the side and gripped the handle of his Gunblade. He moved it upward and allowed it to rest on his shoulder. She cleared her throat and looked at the ground. "…What do you think about our situation?"

"How many times do I have to tell you? Go talk to Selphie about the war."

"I did, but I wasn't talking about the war. I was talking about…_our_ situation."

"What exactly do you mean?" Quizzically he stared at her, making her more nervous in the process. Rinoa couldn't find an answer. She wasn't sure if there were any reason at all that she needed to talk to him.

"I don't know. …Forget I asked." Truthfully, Rinoa only wanted just to be around Squall. She was becoming embarrassed just by standing before him now, and for a moment, he seemed to be just like the man she first met that night. He sighed and once again turned away from her. She angrily looked at the ground. _"Rinoa! What's wrong with you? Say something!" _She sighed and walked closer to him. "Why aren't you practicing with the others?"

"…It's too cluttered in there with all those people. Bad enough, there are hardly any monsters to challenge when everyone else is knocking them off, too."

"But you know, with all that closeness, it's a great way to experience real life battle with your comrades, you know?"

"I already know what to expect out there on the battle field."

"…The war between you all and Esthar?"

"Yeah." He looked around.

"What was it like?"  
He looked at her and then to the ground, trying to find the words to explain his horrible battles. Death cries, gunfire, spells, and scents were all that filled the air. It was a terrifying sight for most people, but for Squall, it was a place that made him feel in control. Realizing that his feelings were too difficult to explain, he decided to make his answer simple. He moved his eyes from the ground and to the roof of the cavern, and a tiny smirk became present on his face.

"It was war."

Rinoa sighed and crossed her arms over her chest. "That's it?"

"…What else did you want me to say?"

"Well…you could tell me what happened, first of all. And, you could also mention how you were feeling when you went through so many obstacles."

"You sound like you could answer those questions yourself."

"No, I _can't._ That's why I'm asking you!" She shouted and his shoulders dropped as he sighed heavily. "Oh come on, just tell me. What's so hard about that?"  
"You weren't there; therefore, I can't really explain it in every detail. Besides, war is not a subject to be shared and talked about like a story. The pressure under the heat of battle is all one can feel. It's even possible for a person to lose his focus if so much as a minor distraction occurs. On top of that, there's no room to breath and everywhere you look, someone is planning to strike you down."

"…Now was that so hard to do?" Rinoa slightly frowned while Squall shook his head. "Were you afraid?" She continued.

"No. I'm a SeeD, I've had special training to deal with combat." Rinoa chuckled.

"No, Squall, I mean _you_. Were _you_ afraid? Not how they taught you to feel."

"I wasn't sure, actually. It was different than what I had anticipated."

"Life can be so unpredictable."

"I shouldn't have let my concentration fall…"  
"Squall?"  
Squall stood silent and walked farther into the cavern. Rinoa decided to follow behind him. The fire and lava boiled around them intensively, but Squall kept walking.

"Squall, I think we should turn around now. There's too much smoke in here."

"…Why don't you turn around then?"

"Squall! I'm serious!"  
"So am I! Why are you still following me? …I brought you safely from Timber to Dollet, and now here we are on Balamb's continent. You _were_ in Balamb, the place you wanted to go from the start, remember? Why are you still here?" He stopped walking and she stopped behind him, covering her mouth with her hands to protect herself from the smoke.

"I told you I wanted to go to Balamb City! The _city_! I never said anything about Garden! You brought me here, remember?"

"Even so, you didn't give me a choice!"

"Squall, I can't afford to argue at a time like this. It's too hot in here, and I'm going to suffocate."

"So leave!"

"No!"

"Why not!"  
"Because I'm not leaving until I see that you're right beside me!"

"For the last time, stop worrying about me!"

"Fine! I give up! All I want to do is talk to you, that's all, Squall! You always have to drive people away from you! Don't you realize that _you_ are all I've got?" Rinoa turned away from him and quickly walked back to the entrance. Squall turned back to her and frowned. All this time, he had been worrying about himself and thinking that she was just a leech, when all she needed was a protector. A protector? He wasn't her protector, what more did she want from him? She had been acting out of character ever since she was introduced to the Headmaster. Was she afraid of something?

He sighed and rested his forehead in his palm. Even if she were afraid, what could he do to help her? This obviously wasn't his department. Rinoa _did _appeal differently to him than other females, and there was something about the looks that she often gave him whenever they exchanged thoughts.

He thought about her ring and it's representation of her mother, and his own ring's symbolism. He never told anyone about his accessories; she was the first to ever know, the first to ever hear him speak so truthfully about himself and not ashamed of it. The way her eyes peacefully settled on him had eased his heart and enabled him to speak his mind so freely; however, he could hear the tone in her voice from just a few moments ago, something told him that she would cry.

Behind the cold look on his face, Squall was feeling guiltier by the second. He knew how it felt to have the heart shattered by the mere words of another. He distanced himself because he hated the criticism from others. He hated having the urge to cry. A crybaby was no one and no one would remember a crybaby.

Despite his poor compassionate skills, Squall decided to apologize to her, it was the least he could do.

When he found Rinoa, she was dueling with two Bombs at once. She looked weakened by their attacks, but continued to put up a good fight. With one bomb ready to self-destruct, Rinoa looked as if she had prepared to let it take her life as well. Squall ran over to her and cast a blizzard spell on the giant Bomb. She looked at him with no reaction present on her face. This caused an unfamiliar reaction from Squall, as he slightly backed away with a hurtful expression in his eyes. The bomb lifelessly fell to the ground, but the other remained as healthy as ever.

"I can do this!" Rinoa shouted and cast blizzard spell on the remaining Bomb, it too had fallen just as the other previously did. Rinoa wiped her forehead and looked at Squall again.

"Are you okay?" He asked with concern present in his voice.

"Why would you care?" She asked coldly.

"…And _why_ should I care?" He spoke with a hint of sarcasm.

"Beats me."

"Exactly. Rinoa, you chose to follow me and I laid down the rules to you before, didn't I?"

"…I can't cry, I can't depend on others, but only focus on making myself useful and lastly, if I fall behind, you won't wait for me. Those were the rules, right?"

"Correct."

"I never complained, Squall! Not once! Sure I dragged behind you for a long time, but never did I purposely make you stop. Do you want to know why I'm still following you?" He stood silent and positioned his body into his favorite stance. "Squall, every time I fell, you picked me up. You were there for me and you didn't expect anything in return. I felt like I had lost everything in Timber, but when you came along, my hope went into you. I feel safer when I'm with you, and that's why I'm still here."

"…I…I'm sorry." He whispered and looked at the ground. "I didn't realize…" He scratched the back of his head and sighed.

"Don't worry about it. I'm fine, honest." She smiled and walked out of the cavern. He put his gunblade away and looked at the cavern's walls.

"I'm fooling myself."

"Angelo! Where are you going?" Rinoa yelled while walking the plains of Balamb.

"Rinoa?" He walked out of the cavern and followed behind Rinoa, who had now jogged after Angelo's image in the distance.

* * *

Irvine walked on the lonely road to Balamb Garden. He held the case in one hand and occasionally touched the handle of his Valiant with the other. In order to take out his target properly and without being spotted, Irvine would have to hide in the nearby forests of Balamb Garden. He found a tall tree that would shade him from the naked eye and provide good height to easily snipe his target.

In the case he carried was a sniper rifle that he had to put together before climbing into the tree. And there he sat in the tree, holding the large rifle on his thigh as he lazily rested on the large bark of the tree. He yawned and fanned himself.

"Sure is hot out today."

"Angelo!"

"What the…" Irvine sat up quickly.

"Where are you going!"

"Who's that?" He said while peaking into the eye scope on top of his rifle. Zooming in, he could see that it was General Caraway's daughter running in the fields. He smirked and dug into his pocket. "I can kill two birds with one stone today, can't I?" He loaded the gun and took aim. "Wow, she's one pretty girl, but how? I mean Caraway always looks so serious and angry. _Creepy…_ Irvine, stay focused!" He told himself.

Rinoa stopped jogging when she realized Angelo was now drinking from a small puddle of water far away. She smiled and put a hand over her eyes to shade the sunlight.

"Good girl." She said softly.

Irvine decided that now was the perfect chance to take the shot. He aimed the rifle to her neck and took a deep breath. "Focus." He said to himself, and in an instant, the trigger was pressed.

Rinoa felt a sudden sting in her throat, but she thought it was a tiny bug of some sort. She fanned around herself and coughed slightly. Her eyes felt heavier, and now her body felt numb. She began to panic and tried to call out, but her voice didn't work. She took a step and fell to the ground.

Irvine smiled at his success, and mentally gave himself a pat on the back. He laughed and gave his hat a short tug. "She went down quicker than I thought. I love this rifle!" He cheered from the tree, and the sound of his voice seemed to catch the ear of a canine.

"Rinoa!" Irvine looked up from the tree and saw a male running toward her motionless body.

Squall ran to her and knelt down beside her. He saw that there was a dart in her neck, which was obviously the cause of her unconsciousness. "Rinoa…" He touched her throat and felt it swelling underneath his fingers. "The sniper could still be around…" He rose up quickly and looked at Angelo. It was obvious that Angelo knew that someone else was there. The canine jogged toward the forest and began to bark.

Irvine looked at the oncoming dog and then to the man who was now also running over. "Holy crap!" He shouted and jumped down from the tree. He ran through the forest, but Angelo quickly caught onto his trail. Squall was gaining in speed also, but Angelo jumped and took a bite into the softest spot she could grip. Irvine yelled out in agony and fell to the ground holding his bottom. "I surrender! Call off the dog! Call _off _the dog! I surrender!" Irvine's voice was almost in a childish scream.

When Squall slowed down and caught his breath, Angelo was standing over the Sniper and growling.

"Who are you?" Squall spoke while drawing his blade.

"Oh!" Irvine looked back from the ground, not wanting to sit on his bottom nor make a sudden move, which would trigger the dog's instincts. "I…surrender."

"Get up, one false move and I'll kill you."

"Understood, but please, call off the dog."

Squall sighed and looked at Angelo. "Angelo, ease." She looked at him and backed away from Irvine.

"Good dog!" Irvine cried. Angelo growled again. "Hey!"

Squall took the equipment from Irvine and had Angelo keep good watch of him. Irvine walked beside Squall, but was sickened by a Bio spell that Squall took pleasure in casting upon him. When they came across Rinoa lying in the grass, Irvine sighed.

"I'm sorry. I was just following orders. By the way, I'm Irvine, Irvine Kinneas." Squall ignored him completely and looked at Rinoa, as she remained motionless on the ground. "…Don't worry about her, she should be fine in about three hours. I didn't realize the shots were that powerful…"

"Shut up." Squall said and picked Rinoa up from the ground. He placed her on his back and led Irvine to Balamb Garden.

* * *

Though he rushed out of Caraway's Mansion in a hurry to engage his mission, Seifer had other plans of his own. He was already enraged by the lack of respect from Deling, being placed as a supporter and not an initiator. Why didn't the old man just dismiss him right then?

Seifer stood tapping his foot impatiently while leaning his back on the Galbadian Vehicle. Two other soldiers were presently seated in the back of the vehicle and had dared to not bother him at the moment.

Finally, Seifer saw another Galbadian Vehicle out in the distance that was approaching them quickly. That famous smirk draped across his lips, followed by a soft chuckle that seemed to make his comrades uncomfortable. He pushed himself from the van and walked out to meet the others. His comrades leaped out of the vehicle and walked behind him.

As the other van came to a stop, Seifer was thrilled to see them approaching him quickly. He crossed his arms over his chest and looked at the men who stood before him. One seemed to be shaken quite a bit, but the other was just a cool as Seifer's relaxed heart.

"So…" Seifer said slowly. Instantly the other soldier took control.

"Both Caraway and Deling were quite busy after you left their premises, Sir."

"Oh really? Do tell."

"Deling has made a deal with Trabia Garden, and now we're allies with them. He mentioned something about Balamb's SeeD murdering the Headmaster of Trabia and taking General Caraway's daughter hostage, and now they're all up for helping us in this fight."

"And what about Caraway?"

"Caraway…Caraway phoned Deling right after you left and said that his daughter was kidnapped."

"And this was a secret mission, one that Deling _wasn't_ supposed to know about?" He looked at the ground and smiled. "Caraway wanted me to get caught in Balamb against orders." Seifer sighed and muttered. "There are serious consequences for not following the President's orders. That scum wanted me to lose my privileges in the most shameful way possible: Failure to obey high commands means loss of respect, loss of purpose and…loss of power." Slowly, Seifer began to look at the sky. "I see."

"What is it, sir?"

"…Deling. Deling has to get out of the office."

"What are you talking about?"

"Don't question me and don't you dare try to stop me. Let's move out!"

"Sir!" The men yelled together and ran to their vehicles. Seifer grinned evilly as he sat on the seat of the van. He remained quiet throughout the ride. His behavior had worried the men, and each wanted to know what could have been going on in the mind of Seifer; however, at the same time no one actually wanted to know. Besides, everyone already knew that Seifer would never satisfy the curiosity.

Seifer's body was suddenly being moved by the same adrenaline that overtook him on the fields of the Esthar War. He smiled again in his menacing delight.

* * *

Irvine was held captive inside the Detention Center of Balamb Garden's security personnel. He had been held there for over an hour, and was already being questioned about his motive. Irvine occasionally grinned and winked at one of the female SeeDs present, but she grunted at him and turned her head away. He then turned his attention back to his interrogator.

"I told you before, I'm a soldier of the Galbadian Military. I was given specific orders to safely retrieve the General's daughter from your grasp. That's all."

"We're wondering why you had a sniper rifle in your possession. Seems like you were here to do a little more than take back the girl."

"The General's daughter?" One SeeD spoke underneath his breath.

"How was I supposed to get the dart into her neck? Only the rifle can do that trick. I told you that a dozen times already!" Irvine snarled.

"Don't you get smart with me, I only want the truth."

"Aren't you listening to me!" Irvine became serious. "…You know what, I'm done talking with you and anyone else you send in through here. Geez, I think I'd rather the guy who brought me here to interrogate me, at least his silence seemed to be easier to deal with!" And with that, Irvine shut his mouth. He didn't even take interest in the female who had rolled her eyes at him a few moments ago. Irvine was finally left alone in his cell at the Detention Center after the SeeDs finally decide to give up. A smile of satisfaction overtook his mouth as he closed his eyes and sat back on the wall.

Squall quietly sat beside her bed in the infirmary as he had done before in the fields of Timber. She had silently passed out on the ground from exhaustion and dehydration. He laid her body near the river and watched over her as a guardian would. Squall hadn't understood why he stared at her for as long as he did, the sight was too unbearable to take his eyes away. Squall never looked at any female that way, and all those girls in Garden were all his comrades and nothing more.

He worked with them; therefore, he couldn't possibly get himself involved in any other way with any of the women. What was he _thinking _about? Rinoa had changed his way of thinking. Never in his mind, would the subject of dating occur. It was a miracle if he found a girl attractive, but only for a few seconds. Squall sighed and moved his hand through his hair. Before he could continue his train of thoughts, someone entered the room in a hurry.

"Excuse me, Squall." Squall looked up at the short boy, a junior classmen whose current job was to deliver orders.

"Yes?" Squall answered.

"You're needed in the Detention Center. They say that the Galbadian won't answer to anyone but you at this moment."

"Are they serious? What's this about? The guy was interrogated two hours ago, wasn't he?"

"Uh… Are you going to go-"  
"I'm on my way, thanks." The Junior Classmen nodded his head and ran out of the Infirmary. Squall rose from his chair and took one last look at Rinoa, who lay silent on the mattress. He sighed and exited the room to begin the interrogation with Kinneas.

* * *


	9. Aware

_**Clash of the Gardens**_

_**

* * *

**_

_**Aware**_

_**

* * *

**_

Upon his arrival, the present SeeDs seemed relieved. They smiled at him as if they hadn't seen the outside world in ages and he was the window.

"Hey, Squall!" One hype SeeD said while rising to meet him at the door of the Center's entrance. Squall only nodded.

"What's the situation?"

"Well…he won't talk to any of us anymore. He said that he would rather talk to the person responsible for bringing him here, and…well."

"That's why I was called…?"  
"Yeah. Sorry if you were busy, but we really need to crack this nutcase."

"Okay, I'll talk to him."

Squall was led to Irvine's cell toward the back of the Center. It seemed a bit more isolated than the others, and the noise from outside was barely audible in this room. The doors opened and Squall entered. Irvine looked up and sighed. _I didn't think they'd actually call him. _Irvine looked at the wall and rolled his eyes.

"How many times do I have to tell you guys, I am done talking?"

Squall grabbed the handle of his gunblade and slightly pulled it from its sheath. Irvine gulped. "Okay, okay. I can talk, but just…don't make it seem like I'm not telling the truth okay, because I am, and I hate to repeat it-"

"Cut to the chase and stop rambling." Squall ordered.

"Alright, alright." Irvine took a deep breath and carefully gathered his thoughts. Irvine already knew that his old orders were to seek the lead SeeD and eliminate him, but he would have instantly been killed if they knew such thing. Instead, he decided to use the girl as a safety course. He mentally laughed when he realized he was lying to them over and over, and had constantly claimed it were true. He could see that the man before him grew more impatient as he took longer to gather his thoughts. Irvine thought now would be a good time to answer, "I'm sure you know that I'm a Galbadian officer…and I was ordered to safely recover the General's daughter from this place."

Squall's heart stopped. "The General's daughter? …The woman you shot today is only a resident of Timber."

"The woman I _shot_ is Rinoa Caraway, you didn't know that?"

"That's ridiculous…"

"It's not. Rinoa Caraway is the daughter of Galbadia's own General Caraway."

"…Heartilly, her name is Rinoa Heartilly." Squall tried to counter Irvine's words.

"Rinoa Heartilly? Well, that's partially true. You see…her mother's name is Julia Heartilly. Are you a fan of music? …She's the singer that married General Caraway a long time ago, famous all over the Western Continent maybe even the entire world." Squall was silent, but became angrier by the second. He let Irvine continue, "Ms. Heartilly kept her last name for career purposes, and besides, Caraway didn't fit her first name anyway. Are you sure you haven't heard this story before?" Squall sighed which Irvine took as sign to go even further in detail. "Well…Julia died in a car accident…apparently she had some real die-hard fans. Some guy saw her in the car and went crazy. The idiot then fainted at the steering wheel and lost control of his car. That's stupid, right? Imagine waking up to discover that you killed your very own hero."

"…But…Rinoa is a resident of Timber…" Still, Squall tried to defend her.

"Yeah, she left her father. I heard he had her locked in his Mansion back in Deling City. Even before her mom died, Rinoa wasn't an ordinary kid. Being the daughter of a General and a Singer brought in a lot of unwanted attention. A source of mine informed me that Rinoa was unhappy for a very long time. I guess…after so many years of living under her father's protection, she couldn't take it. Anyway, she ran away from home when she was about fifteen or sixteen, I think, and Caraway hadn't seen her since. He didn't know where she ran to, and he later hired a group of investigators to search for her." Irvine sighed and realized that he would give out more information if he continued on the topic. He decided that now would be a good time to stop. When Irvine looked at Squall, he saw that Squall had closed his eyes and his hand was violently shaking. "Hey…are you…okay, man?"

Squall was silent and hadn't realized Irvine was still talking. _…My name is Rinoa Heartilly. You helped me back there and I just wanted to thank you. _He sighed and closed his eyes. _Rinoa was so calm when she told me her name. Of course by the time I came around, she'd probably gotten used to saying it to people. That means she was lying to her Faction Members as well. She took on her mother's maiden name in order to throw people off. Wait, that's impossible. If Julia was so popular, then why didn't they know that she was Caraway's wife? Something's not right…unless…_

"You know I'm telling the truth, don't you?" Irvine snickered.

"Was the wedding kept confidential, or was it announced to the public?"

"It was kept secret for security reasons, but looking at Julia's death…"

_So that's why they didn't know. They only knew that Julia Heartilly was the singer, and Rinoa was her daughter. Rinoa…you're nothing but a…liar." _Squall reopened his eyes and looked at Irvine. "Who was your source of information?"

"U-uh…I don't know if…"

"You had best give me an answer, or else…" He revealed his Gunblade again.

"Alright, alright! The guy's a fellow comrade of mine, nothing more. We exchange words from time to time, you know, strictly army duties."

"A name."  
_"Geez, Seifer's gonna kill me…but either way, I'm already dead. Still…it really wouldn't matter if they got a name or not, we're in war…" _Irvine looked at the floor. "…He's about as tall as I am, blonde hair and…" Irvine looked at Squall's face, making Squall uncomfortable for a second. Irvine found himself whispering his words now. "An old scar on his forehead just like yours…you…You're the SeeD he was talking about!" Squall glared at Irvine, and Irvine began to laugh until Squall cleared his throat.

"What are you talking about?" Squall asked.

"The war from a year ago, _you_ of all people should remember that war, right?" Irvine tipped his hat forward and confidently sat up in his chair. "The guy who gave you that scar."

_…Of course I remember him. He was the reason so many lives were lost on the battlefield. I saw him murdering SeeDs left and right, and I thought it was up to me to stop him. No matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't take him down. I was too weak, but not anymore…that's all going to change now. _Squall tightly bawled his fist.

"I know you know who I'm talking about, so I'll just carry on." Irvine cracked his knuckles and wiped his chin. "…Because I'm not in full agreement with Deling, I was already considering leaving the army. In other words-"

"You care about what's going to happen to you once you've disclosed this information to me."

"Yeah, exactly. So, will you keep that in mind?"  
"I'm not promising anything."

"Well, that's better than a yes or no…Not saying that you _have_ to answer that way because you would most likely prefer-"

"You're rambling again." Squall said coolly, which seemed to intimidate Kinneas.

"Yikes! Ha ha, uh…" Irvine cleared his throat. "The guy's name is Seifer Almasy, he's one of the top soldiers of Galbadia's Military, and a high ranked SeeD of G-Garden. He was assigned to the search party of Rinoa, and it was he who discovered her scheme. That's how he knew all the info on her."

"Why did your army attack Timber?"

"…They were told to go in and find Rinoa, but when the President found out that Trabia's SeeD had been spotted in Timber as well, he got a little carried away. Almasy said that he and everyone else had no idea that missiles would be fired. It was a complete surprise, and apparently, Deling ordered these missiles just hours after sending the search party out on the mission. No one knows why he pulled the extremes to get the girl out of the city."

_It wasn't about Rinoa at all…He wanted to get rid of Trabia's source of order. Rinoa was so sad about the attack…wait a minute, how is it that every last Faction Member died in the attack and Rinoa is still alive? Did she know about the missiles beforehand? No…Even that crew didn't know about the launch until it was happening…unless, Seifer's not a good source of information?_

"I tell you, you aren't the first to blame the missile attacks on me. Those people in Timber…they went crazy." Irvine took a breath. Squall knew how bad the scene was and preferred not to think about it again.

"Did Almasy meet with Rinoa?" He quickly changed the subject.

"Not that I know of, although even _I _have to admit that he knew some _very_ intriguing details about her life."

"Is it possible that he could've lied to you about the mission?"

"There's no doubt in my mind that if a mission is secret, it is _always_ kept secret; even after the mission is over with. Seifer was always dedicated to his orders despite what others may think or say of him."

"What exactly was Galbadia doing in our war?"

"We were taking a test, that's all. Sure, things _did_ get out of hand, but we were only performing our best to become a member of the President's Elite Soldiers. We did what we had to do, and I guess Seifer took advantage of that."

Squall looked at his fist. Irvine smirked and scratched the side of his cheek. "In case you're wondering, Seifer is really looking forward to seeing you again." Irvine spoke in a comical tone that made Squall growl. Before Squall could get out of his seat to choke the impish man seated before him, someone stepped into the room.

"Leonhart, I think that's enough for now!" Squall turned around and saw a fellow SeeD in the doorway. He nodded and stood to his feet.

Irvine rubbed his bottom lip with his hand and thought aloud. "Leonhart?" Squall looked back at him and put his hand on his hip. "Where have I heard that before?"

"…What's that?" Squall asked him.

"Sorry." Irvine scratched the side of his head and sighed. As Squall began to walk out of the door, Irvine gasped. "Oh yeah! It's the name from the tombstone in Winhill."

Squall stopped at the doorway, his heart pounding intensely in his chest. He slowly turned his head to Irvine and swallowed his breath. Irvine put his hand over his mouth and nervously looked at the wall. He hadn't meant to blurt out his thought.

"What did you say?" He spoke slowly, but Irvine stood silent. "Answer me!" Demanded Squall, he was not about to let this guy withhold that kind of information from him. Irvine let out a loud sigh and looked at Squall.

"…I said, I remember that name from the tombstone in Winhill. Raine Leonhart. It didn't occur to me until a little while ago, that the name was familiar. …I haven't heard her story in years."

_Raine Leonhart? Who? Her name doesn't even ring a bell, except for her surname…my name. _Squall looked at the floor. "How in the _hell_ did that happen?"

"Unlike so many soldiers that come from Deling City, I'm originally from Winhill. Anyway, I think the story goes that Deling started his control around her time. He attacked Winhill and killed all that opposed him, almost like what he did in Timber. To tell you the truth, both incidents were horrible and terrifying, but I guess my hometown suffered less casualties than Timber's. Well, of those that opposed him, Raine Leonhart was the Ring Leader. She was the first person that was slain by Deling's wrath."

This was talked about in history, but the woman who died was never named in our books. It happened about twenty years ago.

"Raine…was a single mother and had recently given birth to the baby of some traveler a long time. The guy left before she gave birth…I guess he didn't know about her pregnancy. After Raine's death, everyone thought it was a good idea to send the infant away. It was disrespectful of the traveler to leave so, maybe to keep him away from Winhill forever, they sent the baby away somewhere."

"What…what sex was the baby?" Squall was surprised with himself when he had asked.

"Male."

"…Raine Leonhart." Squall refused to listen to anymore of this nonsense. He turned to the door and Irvine whispered.

"My dad always told me about that story because her tombstone was near my grandfather's grave. Guess he wanted me to see that everyone suffered a lost."

Squall still heard Irvine's voice but exited the room instead. Squall didn't want to face anyone at the moment. Could he have been the child that was sent away? He ran a hand through his hair and walked to the dormitory hallway. _Raine Leonhart…? Raine…? There's no doubt that she was my mother. Why else would I have her last name? …So she's dead? Of course she is, how could she still be alive? All orphans don't have parents, unless they were dropped off. I…guess I wasn't one of the lucky ones, was I? I never even got a chance to meet her. Raine…_

* * *

Squall angrily walked to his dorm room and slammed the door shut.

_Why did he join Galbadia if they were responsible for taking control of Winhill? Of course, this **is** Deling we're talking about…no doubt; he had the kids automatically sign up for G-Garden. Forcing people to do the things that they choose not to do and meaningless battles for power that causes unnecessary death are all that Deling stands for. His little quest for control and authority…but who am I to talk? I participated in a battle to protect the rights of a town that I didn't even know about, let alone care about, despite Balamb's rights. I took charge in the fields and killed…all for the sake of power. I'm a hypocrite, aren't I? I've taken orders to bring death to others, and I complained about Death itself._

He sat on his bed and fell back intothe comfort it supplied.

…_That dream. It really does make sense to me now. I'm no better than Deling! I shouldn't even be a member of SeeD! But who I am without SeeD? This place is my home…at least, that's how I learned to see it. It was the either staying at the orphanage or Balamb. That's kind of like Rinoa's situation…she didn't want to be around her father anymore, so she left to find something new. Rinoa…why did you lie to me? Why did you give me that entire speech about speaking of the past and finding comfort in it, when even you weren't honest about your past? You lied to me, and you expect me to give you pity?_

He folded his arms and closed his eyes while lying on the bed. So much on his mind, he knew it would be impossible to get any sleep. There was pressure on his chest and his heart began to ache. This kind of pain only came when he thought about his first days in Balamb. The pain of having to learn from the basics and do everything for himself, Squall was afraid to feel this way again. Although he referred to Balamb as his home, it was merely a place where he got an epiphany of life. Life was scheduled, but never perfect. If he didn't like something or someone, he could do something about it. Keeping his mind focused in books and battles was the only important thing to remember.

Squall hadn't always had a perfect life, it would never be perfect, and that's why so much of his time had been consumed in the Training Center. Eventually, he became one of the best of his class and even better than some of those who had been at Balamb longer than he. He took pride in his accomplishments, but had never boasted himself to anyone. Those accomplishments were missions that trained his mind to take on any complicated situation.

For every problem there is an answer, and Squall's answer was simply to fight. He placed his hands behind his head, but kept his eyes closed. There was no way he could let anyone else get as close as Rinoa did. Even though he knew that her life was a mess, the fact that she lied to him was still hurting him. She ran from the only person she had, her father. She had a father but ran from him. Squall could feel himself becoming upset again. He took a deep breath and put a pillow over his face to hide his watering eyes.

* * *

Rinoa opened her eyes and found that she was lying down in an incredibly bright room. She sat up and looked around, but found that she could only move so far up. Her body felt stiffened as she lay in bed. Slowly, Rinoa found herself more functional and was able to sit all the way up.

"What happened to me?" Her voice was ashy due to the length of her sleep. She moved her legs to the side of the bed, and touched the floor with her feet. "Where am I?" She stood up and stretched her stiffened body.

Walking out of the bright room, Rinoa encountered a familiar looking woman, Dr. Kadowaki. She then realized that she was still at Balamb, but in a place she wasn't too familiar with. The Infirmary.

"Oh, you're awake! How are you feeling, dear?"

"I'm okay. …Can you tell me what happened?"

"You were shot with a Tranquilizing Dart by a Galbadian Soldier. You're lucky Squall was there, he caught the soldier and brought you guys back here."

"…Gee, I don't remember anything before all that."

"It'll come back to you, just give it a little time. Do you want to rest here?"

"I think I'll go to my room, someone might need the bed for later, you know."

"Yeah…with that soldier around, everyone's starting to prepare for battle."

"I hope there won't be another war…"

"I'm afraid it's too late for hope."  
Rinoa's spirit was broken, but she managed to smile to the woman anyway. She tried to get her mind on something else that was important, which was obviously Squall. "Dr., do you know where Squall is?"

Dr. Kadowaki smiled and giggled softly, "He was here earlier, and I think he would've stayed if it weren't for the sudden order he received. I'm not sure where he may be right now. Why don't you try the Training Center? Lots of SeeDs are there"

"Well, that's just it. With lots of people in one place, I'm sure he isn't there."

The doctor laughed again, "Yeah, I suppose you're right. He never was the type to enjoy a lot of company."

"Oh well, thanks anyway. I'll find him."

"You're in no condition to run around this place in search of someone. You should rest."  
"I will, and I won't go around looking for Squall." Rinoa said while walking out of the doors to purposely avoid the feedback of the doctor.

Rinoa had lied again. She was walking around Balamb, dizziness and all, on a search for Leonhart, who was once again nowhere to be found. She came across the woman who welcomed her to Garden before, Quistis. Quistis looked different this time, almost like she was angry. She stopped Rinoa's frantic search for Squall.

"Rinoa…how are you?"  
"I-I'm fine." Rinoa received an intimidating glare from Quistis.

"You were sure that I hadn't seen you somewhere before, weren't you?"

"What? What do you mean?" Rinoa hadn't understood Quistis' words.

"Caraway. I knew I heard your name from someplace before, Rinoa. You thought you could get away with it by using your mother's maiden name, right?"

"…How did you know-"

"I really understand your situation, and I'm terribly sorry for your lost, but we do not tolerate liars in this Garden, do you understand?"

"I wasn't lying."

"You introduced yourself as Rinoa Heartilly, and you withheld the fact that your father is the General of Galbadia."

"…I wouldn't have been safe if I used that man's name."

"Rinoa…You could have said something to the Headmaster. He would have listened to you regardless of your background. Because of you, the entire Galbadian Army could be on their way here. This place isn't safe any longer." Quistis' eyes softened. "I really wish you had told us about your father before."

…_Because of you, the entire Galbadian Army could be on their way here. Because of **you**… So, it's my fault. Yeah, I guess it is my fault, isn't it? I was responsible for those missiles back in Timber, and now I'm responsible for the destruction of Balamb. Squall told me to be aware that everything around me is happening, but…I don't want to be around everything anymore. I hate this place._ Rinoa looked at Quistis, and her eyes were beginning to water. "…Quistis, do you know where Squall is right now?"

"…I think he's already left from the Detention Center. He may be in his room."

"Where is his-…you know what, never mind. Thank you, Quistis." She broke off the conversation and quickly paced toward the Dormitories. Quistis watched the girl and heavily sighed. She didn't want to angrily go off the way she had on Rinoa, at least, she wasn't planning to. But everything was beginning to raise her pressure level higher.

Working with Xu gave her access to more information than she wanted to know. Every piece of detailed information about Galbadia had ticked her off, and because Rinoa was a part of Galbadia…she felt that Rinoa was the easiest target to blame at the moment. Of course, Quistis felt guilty when the girl walked away, but she was also satisfied that it had happened and told herself that it was _bound_ to happen.

* * *


	10. Deception

**_Clash of the Gardens_**

**_

* * *

_**

**_Deception_**

* * *

****

Headmaster Cid paced through his office while looking out at window's view. Panic was something he had become accustomed to during the past few days. Issues had come and gone before, but something about this upcoming battle hadn't added up. For the last hours he had tried desperately to get in contact with Trabia Garden, but they seemed to never receive the call. He had Xu and a few others try to get Trabia's attention, but it seemed as if they were purposely being ignored.

"Why would they ignore our call at a time like this? Could something have happened?" He stopped and tapped his foot, "…Maybe they're in danger?" He sighed, "I doubt that…there would have been an SOS signal. Each Garden, as I know of, was built with the automatic distress call, which would sound in times of danger. Trabia should be more alert about Galbadia. Which is what I don't understand…why haven't they returned our signals?" Cid groaned and scratched the back of his head. "…What will I tell Ms. Tilmitt? Trabia isn't aware that she's here."

* * *

Seifer looked at Galbadia's Head Quarters and smiled. Of course, the other soldiers had finally understood the young man's current thoughts. They all took one mollifying breath and walked to the building together. Seifer talked to them as they walked.

"Remember to keep your cool in there, after all, we are Galbadian Soldiers."

Ironically, his words had eased their worries. They all began to smile as the walk to the building came to a close.

The group of men entered together and headed straight for the President's chambers. Seifer led them, two behind him and three traveled behind the two; other soldiers knew that trouble was brewing. Seifer ordered two of them to split up from the group and head down another hall, which would eventually lead to the chambers anyway. The other three began to slow their pace when the President's room was in sight. Seifer smiled when he saw that two guards were posted outside Deling's doors. He looked at them and nodded his head. Because of Seifer's power, they both had high respect for him. They let him through without questions, but the others were asked to stay outside.

The President's chair was facing the wall, and the old man had to be sleeping because the room was too quiet for any mortal to take. To get his attention, Seifer cleared his throat loudly and annoyingly. He knew that Deling hated those without good manners, especially if they were his most valuable soldiers.

As expected, Deling turned the chair forward and placed a document down on the table. He removed his reading glasses and glared at Seifer, but Seifer only smirked.

"Yes, Almasy?" Seifer was surprised that the old man seemed to play dumbfounded. He realized that Deling hadn't given him any new orders, but that pointless lecture about being above the best of soldiers and remaining in Headquarters during the battle. Deling was also playing as if he hadn't made the call to Trabia, and he was playing the charade well, too. Seifer laughed softly and folded his arms.

"Sir. I just came by to talk with you, if you don't mind."

"Not at all, Almasy. Have a seat."

"No thanks, this'll just take a second." Seifer continued to smirk at the old man who had shrugged his shoulders and place the glasses on the document that he already laid on the desk.

"What can I help you with?"

"Understanding…"

"Be more specific, Seifer."

"…Well." Seifer unfolded his arms and placed them behind his back. He began to pace the floor softly, making Deling feel somewhat uncomfortable. "I remember you were telling me about being more confident in my comrades. After I sat done and put much thought into your knowledge, I realized that you were right. I should be more confident in my comrades' power; after all, if I only rely on myself, something could possibly happen where I may need they're help, right?" Seifer had stopped pacing as he asked his question, and he noticed that Deling had swallowed a lump in his throat. "Sir, what is it? Have I come up with the wrong conclusion to your lecture?"

"Oh…uh, no, it's absolutely fine." Deling placed his hands on his desk and clasped them together. He took a deep breath and smiled at Seifer. "I'm glad to see that you've taking interest in my words. I'm impressed Seifer." Deling was no fool, he knew that Seifer was up to something. His words rang clear in Deling's mind, a mockery. A grin appeared as he realized that Seifer had to have known something that he was not entitled to know. "I really am impressed." Seifer smiled after he realized that Deling had finally caught on to his charade. Deling looked at the confident young man, but the grin was no longer present. "However…" Deling started and Seifer looked at the chairs before Deling's desk. He laughed and took a seat.

"However?" Seifer questioned.

"…You know nothing of my intentions, and you will never understand."

"I believe I already do. Your obsession with power speaks for all your past decisions."

"One wouldn't call it an obsession, more of a dream."

"Weakening an opponents defenses is your dream?"

"No."

"Then a world without enemies is your true purpose, I suppose. Sounds more like a cowards way of life, doesn't it?"

"What are you getting at?"

"You want all other nations to bow down to you. You want to hold all world order, don't you?"

"As I said before, it's a working dream of mine."

"Don't talk to me about dreams, you already took my dream away from me." Seifer's eyes held a serious glare. "I can care less about your meaningless existence, but when you take me from the front line, it's a slap in the face to me."

"So you disagree with my dream, yet you want to be a part of it?"

"Shut up!"

"How dare you! Leave my chambers, immediately!"

"I'm not through talking to you, I'll leave when I'm finished." Seifer moved closer to the front of the desk. "You strategically planned this war, didn't you? I bet you had fun when calling Trabia behind our backs and setting up an ambush on Balamb, huh? Why didn't you rely on your own troops to get Rinoa Caraway back? You were afraid, weren't you? You're afraid of Balamb, and so you lied to Trabia to get them to help us! You turned to the enemy and begged for his help like a coward! You are a disgrace to all of us!"

Deling's breath was hard and his heart was pounding faster within each second. He looked at Seifer and slowly moved his hand to the panic button underneath his desk, but Seifer drew his blade and shook his head from side to side with a cruel smirk present. He moved the blade to Deling's throat and spoke in a disturbing voice, "Have you any faith, Mr. President?" Seifer smiled. Deling's yell was quickly terminated by a swift blow to the head with Seifer's Hyperion. Seifer had pulled back the trigger also, and created a disturbing image for all to witness. Seifer's eyes had remained opened as he ended the lunatic's life. He never had real respect for Deling. The man killed anyone who stood in his way, and that included innocent women and children. Deling's body fell forward onto his desk where blood soaked the papers which scattered in his fall.

Seifer took one more look at the body of President Deling and slowly, without removing his eyes from the scene, wiped the blade of his Hyperion with a piece of cloth he had taken from his pocket. He sheathed the blade on his side and walked to the doors of Deling's chambers. He opened the doors and looked at the soldiers who seemed to have heard everything. They all nodded to each other and Seifer looked at them all.

"Because of Deling's untimely death, I will take over." He spoke like a professional.

"Sir, what about General Caraway?"

"The President gave Caraway control over the protection of Deling City…the General has never bothered with our war issues and is only concerned for his daughter's safety."

"…Understood, Sir."

"In order to end what Deling has started, all of the troops here will gear up and head out to Balamb Garden. It seems that Trabia may already be headed that way as well. We don't want them to have all of the fun…do we?" Seifer laughed and walked down the hallway of the President's Chamber, his voice still audible through the halls. "This war begins now." Seifer said and disappeared around the long corridor, the others had sighed but continued to follow the madman

* * *

Rinoa walked through the Dormitory Hall and scratched her head, clueless of where to start her search. Every door looked the same, and Squall was behind one of them. She became frustrated and yelled out loud. "Squall!"

He was still lying on his bed in total confusion of the past few hours. He wasn't sure what he should think. All he needed and wanted was an answer from someone, but he would never actually ask anyone for an answer. Then, he heard a loud scream, and it was his name. His eyes shot open as he quickly sat up.

"Rinoa?" He yelled aloud. Why had he shouted her name? Why did he call out to her? He cursed himself, but stood quiet and still, maybe she wouldn't detect his room if pretended it were vacant. Suddenly he heard a knock on his door. He let out a heavy sigh and angrily rubbed his forehead.

She continued to knock on his door, "I know he's in here, I just heard him make a sound…" She banged on the door and yelled, "Squall! It's me! Please open the door."

"Go away, Rinoa."  
"No!"

"Just leave me alone!"

"I'm not leaving this door! I'll sit right outside and talk to you if I have to!"

"Stop shouting through the door, I can hear you just fine. You're gonna make a scene if you don't shut up."

"Am I _embarrassing _you?"

"Rinoa, leave me alone!"

"Now you're the one who's shouting, Squall!"  
"Fine!" He pulled the doorknob back and opened the door. She was standing there with an innocent smile on her face, which made his stomach turn horribly. She was making him sick. "What do you want?"

"Aren't you going to let me in?"

"No…just tell me what you want and go."

"…I want to talk to you, and I know that you don't want to talk with the door wide open. Like you said, 'we'll create a scene'." She snickered.

"It won't be a scene if you make it quick, now what is it?"

"What's wrong with you? You don't look so well, what happened?" He attempted to close the door, but she threw herself between the crevices. "Squall, please?"

"…Why did you lie to me?"

"I can explain. Please, just hear me out."

He sighed and let her inside of his room. He closed the door behind her and turned his back to her. "Explain…"

She looked at the floor and moved her hand to the ring on her necklace. She gripped the small ring and closed her eyes.

"After my mother died, my life was a mess and Caraway hadn't made it any better. Remember I told you about my sheltered life? He didn't allow me to go anywhere, and I was always trapped inside under his security protection. The only company I had were the old battle reports of soldiers that were fighting in wars and such. I came across a soldier's file in Timber and read the entire article about how he had to slaughter a few men just to get some respect. That's when I realized that Caraway was also behind the killings, along with Deling. I was angry that he never spoke against Deling, and he always stood by the man's decisions!"

Rinoa moved a loose strand of hair behind her ear and cleared her throat, "There were loads of letters sent to Deling and my father from people who lived in Timber, begging them for mercy, but my dad never replied. He threw the slips aside and ignored their pleas. After the pleas turned into threats, he put more security around our home and basically had the place on lock down. Caraway had protected me, but he never treated me like a daughter. I was always just another worry in his eyes. So finally, I felt like it was time for me to get out of there. I studied everything around the house that would aid my escape. I had finally broken free of that man's grasp! Because I had read so many reports from Timber at that man's house, I decided that Timber was where I belonged. I felt guilty about never having a choice to be able to help the people for a long time when I was living with Caraway, but now that I had freed myself, I was able to make that choice."

She took a deep breath and continued, "I knew they would never fully trust me if I told them my true background, and so I used my mother's name instead and told them I was orphaned after she died." She sighed. "…I gave you my mother's last name because I knew you wouldn't have helped me if I told you I were Caraway's daughter. Squall, I know that I don't belong here…I know that I'm responsible for so many deaths. I…I'm sorry for lying to you, but I had to, in order to escape that man's wrath." Rinoa sighed and looked at the floor.

Squall had folded his arms and moved his attention to the ceiling of his room. Here she was, telling him her entire life story, and he already knew about her. Rinoa, upon thinking Squall had ignored her, begged for his answer, "Did you hear me? …I'm sorry."

"…When will you understand that everything is not about you? I'm still trying to figure out just how all of those Faction Members died from the missile attacks, and yet you're still here… Aren't you a Faction Member?"

"Squall, I…"

"Where were you! You knew that missiles were headed that way, didn't you!" He faced her with anger filled eyes. She was frightened and could only gasp.

"…I didn't know!"

"You're nothing but a liar, Rinoa! A _liar_!"

"No! I am not a liar!"

"Yes, you are!"

"Squall, I had no idea he was telling the truth! I didn't know until twenty minutes before the attack! Plus, if I were present at the meeting with Trabia's Headmaster, he would've recognized me! So I listened to him and ran!" Rinoa had begun crying with shaking hands and legs. Squall noticed and softened his tone.

"Who told you to run?" Rinoa became silent. "Who!"

"…Seifer." She whispered.

"Seifer Almasy, why am I not surprised?" Irvine was telling the truth after all. Squall turned away from her and walked to his window. He looked out of the blinds and sighed.

"How did you know his name?"

"From the guy who shot you with the tranquilizer. So tell me, how close were you and Seifer?"

"We weren't exactly close. I knew that he was working for Galbadia, and he knew my father. After I told him my life story, he had given me tips about the Army's new motives. It was he who told me to contact Trabia…maybe even he that reported our next move to Deling." She sighed. "I always wondered how Deling knew about Trabia Garden being involved with us."

She sat down to the floor and held her face in her hands. Squall leaned his head forward on the blinds and listened to Rinoa's soft cries. "…No matter how many times I look at this war, I can't help but think that this is all my fault. I've brought this on everybody. Perhaps I should stay inside my dad's house and never come out. Or better yet…" She sniffled, "I should've died right there in the missile attack! I deserve to die!" She wrapped her arms around her legs and rocked back and forth while continuing to sob.

"…It was inevitable. This battle was meant to happen. You only did what was best for others and yourself, Rinoa. Don't ever think that this war is your fault, do you understand?"

"…Squall?"

"Don't you see that this war doesn't affect just you! You fought your battles because you chose to fight, and you only sought freedom, nothing more. You do only want freedom, am I right?" Rinoa had quieted down and was slowing standing up. "Galbadia wants power, and they will do anything to satisfy their wants and needs, including using people like you. Deling ordered the missile attack after your 'friend' told him that Trabia would become your allies. The attacks were meant for Trabia only, not your Factions. You all set up the date, and Deling paid the tip."

"It wasn't…about me?"

"No, it was all Deling." He turned away from the window and walked to her. "It's not your fault, as I said before. Only one person is to be held responsible for the lives of so many, and quite frankly, you're too whiney for something as menacing as that."

In all the tears, Rinoa had managed to smile the same smile that made him freeze in his tracks only days before. He looked at her face and moved a hand through his hair. His fingers rubbed the back of his head. Rinoa realized that he was blushing and trying to hide that very fact. She laughed and placed a hand on his cheek. He froze instantly.

"Thank you." She said while moving it away. He only cleared his throat and nodded, which caused her to laugh aloud. He turned away from her quickly and walked to the window. "I'm sorry, Squall!"

"Whatever."

Rinoa smiled again and turned to the door. "Well, I should probably go now."

"Rinoa…" Squall spoke suddenly, which caught her off guard.

"What is it?" She said while looking back at him as he still faced the window.

"…About your mother. What was she like?"

Rinoa was surprised. She was expecting him to talk about the war again, but never did she expect him to ask about her mother. She wondered what could have been on his mind to make him ask. "…She was…" Rinoa hadn't given serious thought about her mother since they talked about their rings. "She was a very nice woman with an incredible singing voice. She was very pretty, too. I really admired her because…she was strong." Rinoa looked down at the ring and clasped it again. "…Why would you ask about her?"

"…Uh…I was curious. That's all…" He responded with his eyes still focused on the outside view.

"Squall." She felt like he was hiding something from her, something that could have been worrying him. Maybe even causing him strife. She faced him now and leaned her back on his door. "…You can tell me."

"It's nothing."

"Come on, please?"

"…I'm sorry I asked." He mumbled, but she clearly heard his words.

"Yeah, you better be, but Squall…just tell me what's on your mind."

"Never mind, it's not important."

"I'm not going to laugh!"

"I'm not kidding around, Rinoa, just go!"

"So we're back to the throwing me out thing, are we?"

"Get out." He turned to face her.

"No." She folded her arms to stand her ground.  
"Get out!" He said while walking toward her quickly.

"No!" Squall grabbed her arm and moved her aside while opening his door. "Squall!" He grabbed her hand and pushed her out. "Hey! What's gotten into you?" She ran back in and slammed the door. He turned away from her and put his hand over his eyes. "I know you're angry, and you're not used to saying anything to anyone, but I want you to trust me! You won't get anywhere in life if you don't put your trust in anyone else, Squall. Please, I'm not going to hurt you, I swear!"

Squall kept his hand over his eyes and the other went on his hip. "…Raine Leonhart." The name of the woman who gave birth to him was all he could manage. Rinoa thought about it for a moment and took a deep breath as it registered that the woman named could possibly be his mother.

"Your mother…"

"My birth mother, but never my mother. She didn't get a chance to be my mother because…" He trailed off in the midst of his words.

"…What happened?"

"…She was killed by Deling."

"Oh Squall…I am so sorry." She touched his back, but he shook her off.

"Stop it!"

"What is wrong with you?"

"I don't need your pity! I told you what was on my mind, now leave me alone."

"But-"

"Go!" He angrily gestured his hand back so that she would flinch and take the hint, but Rinoa just stood there. He moved his hand from his eyes to his mouth with a sigh. Rinoa could tell that he was about to cry, but he didn't want her to see.

"…You're afraid of me, aren't you?"

"…What?" He tried to act as if he were dumbfounded.

"You're afraid to let me see you cry…" She touched his shoulder and turned him around, but he pushed her against the door.

"What is your problem, Rinoa? Why do you insist on torturing me?"

"I'm not trying to hurt you! I just want to you to know that I'm here for you!"

"Yeah, but for how long!" He wasn't aware that tears had escaped his eyes, and freely fell from his face. Rinoa looked at him and felt her own eyes watering again. "Rinoa, you don't know what I go through every single day, and I'm forced to put the world's problems before my own!" Squall grabbed her shoulders and held her against the door, but Rinoa never made an attempt to escape his grasp. He saw her innocent face and yet his hands tightened the grip. "…I don't want to hurt you."

"…I'm not afraid of you, Squall. That's why I'm here now." Rinoa spoke softly.

He slowly freed her shoulders from his grasp, and turned away from her. Squall walked to the window once again and closed his eyes. She slowly walked behind him and placed her arms around him from behind. "I don't want you to be afraid to tell me anything, Squall. You just can't live on without talking to someone about your feelings. Please…" Rinoa felt Squall touch her arm and move his hand across it slowly. She moved her forehead to his back and rubbed her head softly on his spine. "If you don't want my pity…then you can have my trust, Squall." She said while smiling.

"…I'm sorry."

"You didn't do anything wrong. There's no need to apologize."

"Yes, there is." He moved from out of her embrace and faced her. "I almost killed you."

"That was way back when?" She shook her head. "…Even so, you still saved me. Remember when we saw those soldiers in the forest? And that time I passed out? And earlier today! If any of us should be apologizing, it should be me. I've been a pain to you since I met you…and you've done nothing but help me. I want to thank you for that."

She saw him smile which made a smile fill her face as well, "You've done nothing but thank me, you know." He said seriously.

"Oh, I'm sor-"

"And apologize."

"Hey!" She laughed and pushed him playfully. "Well…you deserved it."

"…Whatever." He said while shaking his head.

"What else was I supposed to do?" She giggled, but he shrugged his shoulders. The smile was now gone, but he looked more peaceful than before. "Squall?"

"Yeah?"

Rinoa slowly brought her body closer to his, and embraced him tightly. She had squeezed her arms around his neck. "I want you to know…" She moved her face on his chest and closed her eyes. "Everything will be alright." Squall stood silent for a few minutes, only partially surprised by her movements.

However, Rinoa was met with surprise when his arms moved around her body. He pulled her closer and moved his head onto hers. For the first time in his life, he realized he needed someone, and that someone really needed him. He had never been embraced by anyone before. Handshakes were the only proper way of showing gratitude. He squeezed her in his arms and almost felt himself cry.

All those times as a child, he only sought a hug from an adult, but was met with either punishment or abandonment. He embraced her to thank her for seeing him as a person, and for pointing out all his negative traits and words. She didn't need his assistance for battle, for safety, no, she needed him to just take one moment and release. Rinoa felt a warm moist texture in her hair, and she turned her head to look at Squall. Squall was crying again, and he looked as if he had giving up holding it in. She moved her hand up and touched his face.

"Squall…" She tiptoed and kissed his cheek. Rinoa moved her hand and placed her head back onto his chest while closing her eyes.

- - - - - -

Xu ran and burst through the doors of Headmaster Cid's office. He looked up from his papers to her quickly, "What is it?"

"I apologize, sir, but Trabia's Warships have been spotted on our shorelines. Sir, they're preparing to strike us at any given moment!"

* * *


	11. Part 4: Death

**_Clash of the Gardens_**

**_

* * *

_**

**_War and Anguish_**

* * *

****

"What are we to do?" Xu had calmed down now and was handling the situation like an orderly SeeD; however, the Headmaster seemed to be in a world of his own. "Sir?"

"…We are to do nothing."

"What? I don't understand."

"We will only defend ourselves, Trabia is not our enemy. Remember, we have one of their SeeDs."

"…Yes, sir." Xu was tempted to speak against his orders, but she didn't want to be suspended in the time that he would need her skills. She swallowed her pride and saluted him. "My orders, sir?"

"Prepare our defense."

"Is that all?"

"I'll take care of the rest."

"Okay. Thank you."

"Xu, be careful."

"Yes, sir. I will." Xu excused herself from his office and went ahead with her mission. Cid turned on the intercom, and the bell rang for his new announcement.

"May I have your attention, everyone. Trabia's SeeD have gathered on the shorelines just south of our Garden. It is presumed that these SeeDs are preparing to attack us. Right now, I want you all to prepare our defense. Xu is in charge of this operation, so follow her lead."

Rinoa could feel Squall's heart pounding in his chest as the announcement came on. Cid's voice continued to push Squall's nerves.

"Be sure to fully equip yourselves for battle. I would like for Selphie Tilmitt, Zell Dincht, Quistis Trepe, and Squall Leonhart to report to my office immediately. Everyone, please be careful and stay on your guard. We will not allow them to touch the grounds of this Garden, this is our home and we have the advantage. Everyone, please move to your positions. That is all." The headmaster terminated the intercom's connection. Rinoa held onto Squall tightly and sighed. "…It's…starting now."

"…Yeah." He slowly released her and moved back to grab his gunblade from the floor beside his bed.

"What should I do?"

"Stay here, I'll be back, okay?"

"…Please be careful."

"I will." He said as he walked passed her, but she grabbed his hand.

"I…" He looked back at her and tilted his head to the side quizzically. "I'll stay here." She let his hand go and smiled. She was relieved to see him smile back for a moment. Then he rushed out of the room. Rinoa touched her mother's ring and sat on his bed with a worried sigh.

* * *

As the elevator stopped at the third floor, its doors had opened. Squall saw that Zell, Selphie, and Quistis were already there. Zell looked nervous while tapping his foot in the small corner of the long corridor. Quistis looked at Squall and sighed.

"Did you see Rinoa?"

"…Yeah."

"Okay…" She folded her arms and sighed. She had felt guiltier with each passing minute since her last words with Rinoa. Seeing that Squall was becoming curious about her question, she quickly motioned toward Cid's room. "Well, we should go in now."

"Yep." Zell said and walked in first. Selphie followed him, and then Quistis and Squall.

The headmaster looked stressed from his seat behind the desk, and it was enough to make them all feel a little nervous about the current situation. He scratched his head and sighed.

"Since we all know the trouble, I'll get to your objectives." They all nodded. "Selphie, because those are your comrades, I'm asking you to find your leader and explain our situation. Will you accept?"

"Yes, sir. I'll do my best, sir." She spoke with a confident smile. Cid found himself relieved for a second, but focused on the attacks once again.

"Squall, Quistis, and Zell, I want you three to support Selphie on this mission. I know that it will be dangerous to send all three of you with her, but most likely, they will think that Selphie is being held hostage. That's why I want you three to stay with her, to help explain the situation, understood?"

"Yes, sir." They said together and saluted.

"Please, try to avoid battle at all cost, only if they are persistent should you take any action." The three SeeDs nodded together, but Cid groaned. "I meant to tell that to everyone." Zell and Selphie laughed. Quistis covered her mouth and shook her head.

"Sir, I think you should calm down and let us handle the situation. Please…"

"You're right, Quistis." He moved his hand to the intercom switch and pushed down softly. Once again, the bell rang and caught everyone's attention. "Attention! One more thing to keep in mind, I want you all to try and avoid battle at all costs, but you have permission to strike back if they are persistent. That's all." He cut the intercom and cleared his throat. "Well now, I want you all to be careful out there. Remember to think clearly before you make a move."

"Yes, sir." They all saluted and exited his office.

Meanwhile, in the Detention Center, Irvine was still under interrogation. Suspicions rose once the enemy had been spotted on the shoreline. He found himself muttering, "Please, will someone just put me out of my misery already?"

"New orders!" A SeeD shouted. "We're to gather out in the front, right now! Trabia's attacking!"

"What!" Irvine's interrogator exclaimed while jumping out of his seat. He ran outside and left the door wide open. Irvine sat up in his chair and smiled.

"…Lady luck is on my side." He stood from his chair, walked to the door, and discovered that he had been left alone in the Center. "Oh yeah!"

After gathering the weapons that were taken from him, Irvine ran out in the main hall to look around. He saw that all of the SeeDs were running to the front exit. Looking at so many people in one outfit had made him felt like he was back in Galbadia. He could feel his stomach cringe at the sight of all the people in blue. There was no way he would blend in with all of them, but then again, no one had noticed him standing in the hallway now. Irvine began to run to the front entrance too.

He was almost to the exit when he saw a man wearing all black, a young woman in a dress, and guy with red sneakers on. Irvine figured if he couldn't blend with the others, he could probably pass as being one of those outcasts. When he saw them running to the exit, he quickly followed them.

* * *

Outside, everyone could see Trabia's SeeDs charging. Xu looked at her men and nodded to them. She called out to them, "Remember, we have the right to defend! Let's go!" They ran into battle with Trabia's SeeDs.

Selphie stopped when she saw them already engaged in combat. "No, this isn't supposed to happen! Why are they fighting!"

"Forget about it, just go!" Squall said while running toward the giant battle scene.

"…R-Right!" Selphie forced herself to go as well.

"Don't worry about it, Selphie. We'll cover you. Just lead the way!"

"Zell's right." Quistis shouted. Selphie felt relieved to have their support once again. She saw that Squall had paused himself right before her.

"Squall?" Selphie asked.

"…Observe." He told her. "Which ship would your leader ride on?"

"Well…The…That one, there!" She pointed to a vessel with a yellow and brown sail.

"Alright, that could mean he's fighting somewhere in that area."

"You're probably right, but he's known for being tricky in battle. He could have probably arrived on another ship just to throw us off."

"What's his name?" Squall looked back at Selphie.

"Kent Hannon."

"Got it." Squall said as he looked at Selphie. Far behind Selphie ran Irvine, and Squall when seen him running, his face angered. Selphie saw his expression and looked around. He noticed that he had made her uncomfortable. "Not you…that guy behind you." She looked back.

"Oh!" She giggled. "It's okay! But, who is he?"

"The Galbadian."

"…What should we do?" Zell and Selphie asked.

"Nothing. You guys go on with the mission. I'll check around the ships as well."

"Are you sure that's okay?" Zell questioned.

"Positive, now go!"

"Right!" The two ran out into the battle, but Quistis stood behind.

"Squall, what are you thinking? You can't just send those two alone."

"You're supposed to be with them too, aren't you?"

"I wanted to see what you were going to tell the Galbadian."

Squall ignored her questioning and drew his gunblade before Irvine. Irvine stopped quickly and put his hands up in defense.

"Hey, I'm not doing anything wrong! Just listen for a second." Squall kept his blade drawn, but didn't say anything. "…I don't know your situation with Trabia, but the last I heard was that they were my enemy. I just don't understand why they're attacking you guys. That's why I'm telling you truthfully that I am no longer a part of Galbadia. Do you understand?"

"Why do you have your weapon equipped?"

"…I don't like wars." Irvine stated plainly.

Squall eased his blade down and nodded to Irvine. He turned away from him and placed the gunblade on his shoulder. He took off to help his comrades in battle, and when he ran passed Quistis, she saw that his eyes were now focused on fighting.

* * *

Balamb Garden was left in silence, and it seemed like every SeeD had left out for the fight. Rinoa stepped out of the room and looked down the lonely hall. She felt a chill go down her spine when she realized she was the only person in the entire facility. She quickly ran to the main hallway to catch up with the others. Stay here, I'll be back… The words Squall left her with, but she couldn't stay there because it was too isolated for her. She needed to see where he was and how he was fairing. She wanted to help him in this battle.

When Rinoa ran outside, she witnessed the huge mass of people, flashing lights, and guns firing around. She stopped and clasped her mother's ring. With the help of her ring and pinwheel, she managed to charge in the heat of the battle along with the others. I can fight if I'm with you. She thought to herself and prepared for battle.

* * *

Selphie and Zell were ahead and managing to escape the fighting. She jumped up and down and yelled out, "I'm from Trabia too, guys, It's me Selphie!" But her voice wasn't strong enough to carry over the sounds of magic usage and bullets rattling.

"It's no use! We have to get to that yellow sail!" Zell shouted.

"Yeah! Let's go!" Selphie said as she continued to run. Quistis saw them in the distance and called out to them.

"You guys!" Zell heard her voice and turned around to her. He waved and yelled out to Selphie. She too had stopped and waved to Quistis.

"Any luck?" Quistis asked.

"No, this is bad." An explosion occurred which shook the ground and caused them to fall. "Ow! Hey, watch where you're shooting!" Selphie's voice reached a few angry Trabians, and they retaliated fiercely with Gunfire. Selphie quickly cast her special magic, the Wall. The ground grew into a large barrier and engulfed the incoming gunfire.

"Look out!" Squall shouted from behind them and cast a meteor spell onto the Trabians. Selphie allowed her wall to stay there for a second, but quickly withdrew from the battle.

"Thanks, Squall, but please don't kill them." She saw Squall and faced him.

"Stop talking and get on with your objectives, they'll kill you if you remain solitary for too long!" He ordered. Selphie sighed and ran out, but stopped quickly.

"Who…Who?" She pointed at vehicles out in the distance. Quistis gasped aloud.

"It's Galbadia!" Right as she spoke, fire was catapulted onto the fighting mass of SeeDs by the Galbadian Vehicles. People screamed and tried to withdraw from fighting, but were caught in the gunfire by the soldiers stationed on the land. Squall looked at the oncoming Galbadians and gritted his teeth together.

"Move out!" He yelled, and everyone Balamb's SeeDs took on his order. Although Rinoa was far away from Squall, she heard his voice above all else. Her heart sank as she saw him leading his men directly to Galbadia's forces.

"Squall…" She said softly, but her arm was tapped. When she turned around, she saw a tall man wearing all brown and a cowboy hat.

"I know this isn't the best time, but…I'm sorry for shooting you with the tranquilizer."

"It was _you?"_

"Yeah, but listen…there's an order to have you returned to your father. I don't think this place is good for you right now. You should leave while you have the chance."

"No! Squall's out there! He needs me!" She quickly ran from Irvine. Rinoa wasn't sure if she could trust another Galbadian ever again. Rinoa ran and blended in the massive crowd of people wearing those dreadful uniforms, which Irvine terribly hated. He only sighed and began to load his gun.

* * *

Leading the Armies of Galbadia was no other person than Seifer. He stood in the door of the moving vehicle and let the wind blow his hair. The smell of smoke and gunpowder filled his nostrils, and he smiled like a child anticipating the ride of a lifetime. When he looked ahead of himself, he saw that Balamb's SeeD had gathered and were now charging at he and his comrades. Seifer signaled the driver to stop and hopped out of the vehicle. The other vehicles stopped at once and the soldiers jumped out. Seifer held up his hands to signal them all to keep their positions and to stay in line. He faced the oncoming army and smiled confidently. In his ear was a radio communicator, which connected him to the Galbadian Missile Base. Because they were the original enemy of Galbadia, Seifer had planned to bomb the ships of Trabia Garden. Of course, he knew that the explosion would spread to Balamb as well, but he could care less.

"Missile Base, do you read? Missile Base, do you read!" He received an ashy signal from them, and finally someone checked in.

"This is the Missile Base, Sir."

"Are the preparations complete?"

"Yes, sir. We're ready to fire at any-"

The signal was ashy again, and Seifer was losing his patience with the noise.

"Missile Base!" Still they were silent. "Missile Base!"

"Sir! We're under Attack-" The soldier shouted over the radio.

"What! By who!"

"……"  
"Missile Base! Do you copy me!"

"……."

"…Forget it, I'll just have to get rid of them all without the stupid missiles. Besides, this way should be more fun!" He drew his blade and raised it above his head. The soldiers became ready for battle as well. Seifer smiled and gave the order to have his soldiers to charge. They all yelled and headed into battle. Behind majority of Balamb's SeeD was Trabia, and they too had decided to charge into the even greater battle.

* * *

Squall yelled and brought down his gunblade onto a few soldiers with a great force. Others backed away from him to seek out a much weaker target, but Squall chased after the cowards to take them down. With a sly smirk was present on his face, he had slain the men before him. He cast a fire spell on one soldier and sliced another to the left of himself. He saw a struggling SeeD nearby, and had quickly cast a cure spell to help the person move along; then continued to lose obliterate all that stood in his way.

Rinoa spotted Selphie who was now alone in battle. Rinoa wondered what had happened to the others, so quickly she ran to Selphie's aid.

"Selphie." The ground rumbled, but the girl heard Rinoa's voice and turned around to meet her.

"Rinoa, what are you doing out here? It's too dangerous!" Rinoa cast her favorite tornado spell onto a few Galbadian troops, causing them to scream and painfully hit the ground.

"Never mind that!" Rinoa spoke with a grin.

"Oh!" Selphie smiled and looked at Rinoa. "I'm looking for Hannon, he's the leader of Trabia."

"I'll go with you!"

"Okay!" Together they ran off, dodging gunfire left and right. Selphie even managed to dodge a magic spell that was directed at her. When they approached an even larger group of fighters, Selphie stopped and spotted her leader. "There he is!" Selphie pointed out the young man with short red hair. He was moving swiftly with his weapon, which took the form of an axe. "There are too many people around! He won't hear me from here!"

"Go ahead, I'll cover you, Selphie!"

"Thanks, Rinoa!" Selphie ran through what she thought were midst of people, until they were blown aside by Rinoa. She smiled and called out to Trabia's leader, but he had disappeared in the fighting again. "Kent!" He was nowhere to be found. Selphie also noticed that the winds of Rinoa had disappeared as well. When she turned around, she saw Rinoa being carried off by a group of red uniform wearing soldiers. Selphie dared not to take on all of those men, "Rinoa!" She screamed aloud for her comrade.

Squall was preparing to finish off his tired opponent when the sound of a familiar blade caught his ear. When he looked up, he saw that Seifer was taking the life of a Trabian SeeD. Squall left his current opponent and ran toward Seifer in a mad fit. As Squall charged, he saw that Seifer had dropped his victim on the ground and smiled at an approaching group ahead of him. Squall looked at the group of men and saw that Rinoa was being carried like an offering to Seifer. Seifer laughed and pointed to a vehicle behind. The soldiers then nodded and ran toward one of the vehicles parked far away.

"Rinoa!" Squall shouted and charged at the group of men. He was then struck by a magical force, which painfully suppressed him to the ground. It was a gravity spell from Seifer, whom smiled at his small victory. Squall looked up and groaned when he found himself unable to move. "Rinoa!" He yelled out again. Seifer took pleasure at seeing his rival call out to Caraway's daughter, and began to smile.

"…Don't tell me you have a crush on her."

"What are you going to do to her?" Squall asked while looking at Seifer from the ground.

Seifer looked at the soldiers, "Hey, guys!" They stopped and looked back to Seifer, "I have a better idea. Bring her back, I want her to see this!" The soldiers all nodded and put Rinoa down. She turned around and saw Squall on the ground in pain while Seifer stood over him. He waved at Rinoa and placed his gunblade near Squall's neck. "Rinoa, I want you to tell your father how great a soldier I am!"

"No! Don't!" She ran toward them, but the soldiers held her back. "Let go of me! Squall!"

Squall looked at the blade and saw Seifer bring it down swiftly. Squall gripped his gunblade and gave a loud cry.

Rinoa screamed and cried out, "Squall!"

* * *

Selphie was still running through the crowds of fighters on the plains of Balamb. Suddenly, she heard Kent's voice. He was arguing with some troops of Galbadia. Selphie ran over and called out to him, "Kent! Kent! It's me, Selphie!" He looked over and saw Selphie. His mouth instantly fell in surprise.

"Selphie!" The Galbadians took advantage of his distraction and attacked the leader of Trabia. Selphie jumped in the battle. "No, Selphie don't!"

"Aaaah!"

* * *


	12. Irony

**_Clash of the Gardens_**

**_

* * *

_**

**_Irony_**

**_

* * *

_**

Squall looked at the blade and saw Seifer bringing it down swiftly. Squall gripped his gunblade's handle and gave a loud cry.

Rinoa screamed and cried out, "Squall!"

In an instant, Squall rose to his feet and met Seifer's Hyperion. He growled as the steel of their blades clashed together. Seifer soon began to laugh.

"_Squall_, is it? I knew you wouldn't go down that easily!" He said and just as he expected, Squall was silent. "How long has it been, _my friend_?" Seifer stepped back and held up his Hyperion.

"…_Too _long." Squall said angrily.

"He talks!" Seifer laughed and he saw Squall's face become angrier. The laughter ceased and a strange seriousness took hold of Seifer's face, "…Just know this…One of us will die _today_. You or me."

"No more interruptions, you talk too much."

"Very well." Seifer spat and looked at Rinoa. He raised his hand up and Rinoa's struggle could no longer be heard. Squall looked back at her and found that she had been silenced.

"What have you done to her?"

"No more interruptions, you spoke of it yourself. Now…" Seifer charged at Squall instantly with an evil grin present, "You're going down!" He said while slicing at Squall, but Squall defended himself and pushed against Seifer's force. He then countered Seifer's attack with a swing of his own. The two men began to fight wildly.

* * *

"Selphie, no!" Hannon shouted, but Selphie had already thrown herself inside of his fight.

"Aaaaah!" She screamed as she had cast flare on the Galbadians. The men fell instantly and she turned to Kent with a smirk. "Hey, Kent! We've got big trouble!"

"Yes, I can see that, but why are you here? I thought you…died." He asked while catching his breath.

"Balamb is _not_ our enemy! I don't know why you guys are attacking them, but they didn't do anything against us."

"Really! B-but what about Martine! They killed Martine, and they took the General's Daughter!" He glared at the sight of Balamb Garden behind Selphie and grunted, "They have to pay for what _they_ did!" Selphie put a hand on Kent's shoulder and shook her head.

"Rinoa Caraway was given a place to rest in Balamb Garden. She ran away from her father and came here to seek shelter. Who told you those _lies_?"

"…Deling. We were…" He dropped his axe and kicked dirt from the ground. He yelled out angrily, and turned away from Selphie. His was heated with anger. "We were fooled…he knew we'd accept anything as long as he included Martine's name! I wondered why we were being attacked by Galbadia's forces…they don't even care that we're supposed to be allied with them right now!"

"We have to call back everyone." Selphie insisted.

"Right!" Kent grabbed his axe from the ground and held it high. "Trabia! Retreat!" The heads of Trabia's captains rose above the crowded men, and they all ran back to the ships on the shores. A few of Balamb's SeeDs who had still been fighting with Trabia's SeeDs began to cheer. Xu looked up from her surroundings and saw that Trabia was now leaving the battle. Quistis also saw this and smiled.

"Selphie's mission is complete." Quistis said while walking toward Xu.

"I guess so." Xu sighed in relief. "But our mission is far from over, look at all those Galbadian soldiers."

"Yes, I know. We have to get over there and help the others."

"What about Selphie?"

"She's not one of us, she's with Trabia. She'll have to follow her Commander's orders from now own."

"You're right. I only hope they will safely leave this area, no doubt that missiles are probably being targeted here."

"The missiles…? They wouldn't dare!" Xu shouted.

"They've launched those things on an innocent town, why would they hesitate against us?" Quistis said while folding her arms.

"Quistis, go find Squall and the others. I'll lead everyone who's in _this_ area, to help aid everyone else fighting against Galbadia."

"Careful Xu, our forces aren't looking too strong out there. We've just begun to lose more than a few people."

"I know, but this has got to stop."

"Understood. I'm on it!" They saluted one another and parted. Quistis ran through toward the crowd and saw Zell taking on two Galbadians at once. She had to smile. Quickly, she drew her whip and whipped a few oncoming soldiers. They all screamed in agony, and knocked off Zell's attention from his own fight. Luckily, the soldiers hadn't recovered from his lethal punch. Zell smirked and looked at Quistis.

"Where have you been?" He asked her.

"Here and there, need a hand?"

"Definitely! Look up ahead, Galbadians are everywhere!"

"Then let's go!" They both nodded and charged toward Galbadia's line of defense.

* * *

Two rivals who barely knew each other's names were both sworn by destiny to fight until the end. Seifer's dream was finally happening, but Squall feared for the worst. Ever since Rinoa came into his life, he felt slightly handicapped in battle. He had escaped the Garden's Training Center that day in order to get away from her, and to properly prepare himself for war; however, she followed him and ruined everything. His thoughts weren't the same as they used to be while in battle; pain, confusion, and isolation were no longer as strong as they had been before. Was this a good thing? No, Squall relied on those negative feelings in battle. Without them, how else would he fight the good fight?

His arm began to shake when he realized that Rinoa was the source of all his problems. It was _that_ crybaby that got him to soften his bitter feelings just a little. He could feel his anger increasing and his body shaking. Why was she trying to change him so badly? Was it because she knew that he was Seifer's rival? Yes, those two had worked together before, so why wouldn't they join forces again? Rinoa had already lied to him before, why was it so much harder to lie to him now? And the show that she and Seifer were displaying, Seifer casting silence and capturing her; what was it all for? Why had they chosen Squall to lash out at?

Squall's mind wandered from thought to thought as he managed to defend many close attacks of Seifer's blade. He realized his mind had wandered from battle and he had been defending himself with his natural instincts. Never had his mind wandered so much during _any_ fight. Was this what she wanted? Rinoa, Seifer, and Irvine all are Galbadians. There was no doubt in Squall's mind that they probably planned this entire devastating situation. They had all in someway dropped a lethal bomb onto Squall's mind, and were playing mind games with him. Seifer's cold-blooded murders in the war against Esthar, Irvine's truth about Squall's mother, and Rinoa's guilt of betrayal had all played a vital role to cause Squall's mental breakdown. They were his enemies, and that Deling, how Squall just wanted to put the old man out of his misery, he led these imbeciles and caused this entire war!

Squall's eyes burned red and Seifer noticed the gradual transformation in his rival's face. Seifer felt his hand, wielding tightly the Hyperion, trembling because of his opponent's eyes. To hide the fact that he was becoming nervous, Seifer did the only thing he knew best, "What's the matter, little man? Why can't you fight me?"

"Shut up!" Squall said and swung his blade across, but Seifer stepped back. Squall quickly glanced at Rinoa, whose terror-stricken eyes were glued to the scene. He only growled and pushed Seifer with more force. Seifer felt his legs lose balance for a mere second, but he smirked at Squall and fought back.

The sky was growing a deep orange and pink. Darkness would probably come soon, but not soon enough. Both Squall and Seifer's eyes reflected the sky now, as the two men hadn't back down since they began. They were so drawn to their own battle, that they hadn't noticed the fighting surrounding only themselves had stopped. The soldiers now looked at two warriors fighting, one, a leader by chance and the other, a leader by choice. Both guilty of foul sins, and wanted only victory, but neither had a true understanding of why the rivalry had continued. Though they knew nothing of each other, except for the very fact that they were the only two to wield the Gunblade, they fought as if they had caused each other a lifetime of grief.

Rinoa felt the clinging pain in her throat caused by the silence spell, and it felt as if it would never go away. The pain in her heart had finally come to reality, and she had always been in this kind of pain. Having the words but never being able to speak them, only tears spoke for her. Guilt, anguish, betrayal, hurt, pain, and sadness: Squall was right; Rinoa was, indeed, a liar. She lied to everyone else with her smiling and laughing, but deep down, Rinoa always was sad. Although, she had tried before to convince them otherwise, she failed terribly. There was nothing that could ease her mind, but Squall.

Now, even _he_ was in this horrible battle and there was nothing that she could do. She felt the urge to cry, and it was tugging at her eyes; but Rinoa shook her head, now was not the time for tears. _Be quiet and quit your whining! _He told her._ You'll never get anywhere if you keep calling yourself weak! If you keep sobbing and crying everywhere, you'll only become weaker everyday. If you would just focus that energy somewhere else, you would have nothing to fear. So find something new, and protect it. That will give you determination! In the meantime…don't cry. _

Never in her mind were his words so true. All this time she had been trying to help him, when it was _he_ that was helping _her_. She was clueless and wrong to think that crying solved _everything. _Her eyes fell to the ground, no longer able to look at the scene that was taking place before her. She closed her eyes as she remembered her old promise to herself. _I'll get them. I swear it. If it's the last thing I do with the last bit of strength in my body, I will defeat Galbadia. Only then, will I find true peace. For you all and myself, this battle isn't over yet! I will not die! _How could she have forgotten? She took one mollifying deep breath and swallowed the lump in her throat.

_No more tears. No more sadness, nor pain. If I focus that energy somewhere else, only then will I become stronger. I will pity myself no more, for my comrades, friends, and my family. For Squall…I will fight to protect them! _Rinoa was now silently casting Esuna on herself. The effects were strong, and caused her to kneel slightly to the ground. Noticing that the young woman was becoming lighter to hold back, the soldiers looked down at her while questioning if she were still conscious.

The soldier that held her arm had finally released his grip, and when he did, Rinoa's eyes shot open. She turned loose from the others with a sly grin upon her lips, and punched the guard to the ground. Before the others could strike her, they were frozen by a blizzard spell she had quickly cast. She pushed them down and began to call upon an even greater thunder spell, Thundaga, which struck two soldiers at once.

She open heartedly laughed and held up her Pinwheel to shoot the Blaster Edge at another soldier who had run over to aid his comrades. With no mercy, she fired her blade at him and he fell without so much as a cry. Looking around, Rinoa saw that soldiers were everywhere. _This is for you guys! Zone, Watts, and everyone else, this is all for you! Thanks Squall. I'll let you handle yourself for right now. I have a promise to fulfill! _She looked back at Squall who was managing to keep up with Seifer. She smiled at him and ran away, but little did Rinoa know, Squall wasn't handling himself well at all.

* * *

Irvine had walked the outskirts of battle, and he even managed to find himself a good seat. The war was ongoing, and night would come soon. He wondered if these people would continue to fight. Irvine sighed and looked at his Valiant. He was contemplating on helping them or not. He placed his shotgun down beside him and looked at his hands as he moved them to his face.

"Okay…Trabia or Balamb." His hands became representations of the two Gardens. "Who's telling the truth? I wonder…" His thoughts were interrupted when he heard the growling of a canine nearby. When he turned to face it, there she was, the bold and dangerous, "…Angelo?" The dog's growl eased. "Ah…so you'll only growl to those who don't know your name, eh?" Irvine chuckled, "I guess I'll have to thank Leonhart for that one, won't I?" He reached for Angelo, but the dog snapped at his hand. "Geez, you have to learn to relax sometimes." Giving up on the canine, Irvine reached for his Valiant instead. As he did so, Angelo began to bark loudly at some vehicles approaching the battlers on the fields of Balamb. When Irvine's eyes finally saw them, he froze where he sat. "…G-Galbadia?"

He and Angelo had quickly run toward the scene. Irvine looked at the crowds and managed to see that Seifer was already engaged in battle with Squall. Irvine whistled when he remembered the first battle the two had had one year ago. Irvine was amazed to see that both of the men's fighting had only changed slightly, now with a little more force. Irvine's eyes then shifted to Rinoa, who was being held captive by a few soldiers.

Before he had a chance to think if he should help her or not, she had broken free. Irvine's eyes were glued when he watched all the soldiers dropping from the little woman's wrath. He found himself smiling until Angelo nudged her nose onto his leg, and then ran in after her owner. "Angelo!" He called to the dog, but she kept running to her master. He shrugged his shoulders, "Oh well, I'm sure the dog can make it." He snickered and held tightly the trigger of his loaded shotgun. Just when Irvine was about to aid in the battle, he heard what sounded like thousands of feet stomping and bashing the ground. When he faced that sound, he saw a huge mass of SeeDs charging in full force.

* * *

Quistis, Zell, and Xu led an entire mass of SeeDs from both Balamb and Trabia Gardens. Not too far away was another pack of Seeds, though not as big as the first, who were led by Selphie and Kent. Every last person who ran along with them had yelled at the top of his lungs, creating a frightening state of chaos to those whom opposed the mass.

Some Galbadian soldiers had turned around and ran the other way to escape, and when Seifer saw this, he stopped his current fight with Squall. Squall had also turned around to see his comrades charging in quickly, whether he knew it or not, a smile was on his face.

Seifer could spit at the fools that were charging at his army like heroes of some sort. He laughed softly and looked at Squall, whose attention still remained on the incoming crowd.

"…I'll show you why I'm feared." Seifer spoke as he walked away from Squall. Squall's smile vanished as he looked at Seifer approaching the crowd of SeeDs. "It's still too early for our battle, so I'll let you warm up first. Don't die on me yet."

"…No." He whispered into the wind.

Seifer took off running quickly while having the nerve to shout, "The SeeD Hunt begins now!" He engaged in battle and struck down SeeDs as they charged at him. Squall couldn't make himself move from the spot where he stood. This is what happened before, this is what he couldn't let happen again, and yet, it was a living reality once again. Squall looked at the scene and felt his heart quickening it's pace. He gripped the handle of his Gunblade and faced the Galbadian Soldiers who were coming to attack him. He growled and had begun walking, until his pace became a full motion run. He let out a battle cry from the top of his lungs, and with all of his might, struck across three soldiers at once.

The two lines of soldiers collided, the SeeDs and Galbadia, together created a huge fighting mass that was impossible to avoid. Quistis smiled as she skillfully lashed men with her stinging whip. She struck one soldier who was planning a sneak attack upon Xu, who had been busy fighting off more than a few soldiers on her own. Zell jump kicked one soldier straight into the gunfire of another, and the two men fell immediately. Xu cast a fire spell on the downed soldier and looked at Zell while shaking her head. "This is ridiculous."

"No matter how hard we fight, they'll just keep charging! It's endless!" Zell shouted and ducked to avoid some incoming danger. The vehicles shot the fire projectiles from their tops with a large cannon that had been equipped especially for this battle. More fire was catapulted onto the fighting mass, and soldiers from both sides cried out. Quistis looked around and saw that a few Galbadian soldiers were on fire as well, "They don't even care that they're hitting their own men."

"Such a greedy nation knows no allies…" Xu said while staring intensively at the Galbadian Vehicles stationed far away. Zell noticed where she stared and turned to her.

"What's up?"

"Those vehicles…we have to stop their attacks."

"One more wave of those, and it could be the end of us all." Quistis finished. Zell nodded and looked around.

"What can we do?" He asked and Xu looked at Trabia's vessels that were parked on the shorelines.

"…Do you think those vessels are equipped with explosives?"

"Maybe…" Zell answered. "Selphie! She'll know for sure!" He charged through the crowd of fighters and searched for Selphie.

Meanwhile, Rinoa was smiling while striking soldiers from left and right. She watched them approach her with grins of their own, but then she'd watch those same soldiers cry out for mercy after they challenged her. No way would she let Galbadia weaken her again; this was her own personal war. To destroy the enemy from which she once came; this was her true desire. Rinoa's magic usage was flawless, and every man that stepped into her path with a thought to destroy her, was obliterated on the spot. With her faithful companion at her side, she realized that this was her hour; Rinoa had found strength in her weakness.

She looked around and saw that Squall was doing the same thing, but he was no longer fighting Seifer. What had happened? Did Seifer die? If that were true, then the war would have been over by now. She noticed that he threw two Galbadians to the ground and stabbed them both with his Gunblade, and afterwards, he turned around and headed for his next target, as if all the blood in the world had not fazed him at all. She sighed when she realized she had been fighting in the same style as Squall. Rinoa looked at her Pinwheel and sighed. Her thoughts were interrupted when she heard Zell calling for Selphie on the plains. _I have to help everyone else out now. _She said as she ran off with Angelo at her side.

Selphie had cast flare upon the soldiers of Galbadia and watched them fall to the ground. Flare was her favorite spell to cast, it was always so explosive and left a devastating blow to her enemies; or as Selphie would say to herself, "_It blows them to smithereens!"_ When she heard her name called from afar, she turned around to face Zell.

"Selphie!" He had to calm his panting before he continued, and when he did he pointed to the vessels that were stationed on the shoreline. "Do those things have explosives?"

"Yeah, the cannons only appear when we tell them to, but the captains of those ships need to be aboard in order for that to happen. I haven't seen them fired before but I do believe they fire at a long distance range, why?"

" Isn't it obvious? We need to use them, quick! See those tankers!"

"But how? They are so far away!"

"You just said the cannons are long range. Selphie listen to me, Xu, Quistis, and I have a plan; we could use those cannons to destroy those vehicles that keep striking us with all those explosives. I know they'll listen to you if you ordered it. Just call the captains back to the ships to explain the plan, and we'll have everyone move out of firing range, okay?"

"Zell…"

"Come on, Selphie! There's no time!"

"…Okay! Sure thing!"

Zell smiled and took off into the crowd once again. Selphie took a deep breath and looked around for Kent. Because he was too deeply involved in his own battles, she immediately took control. She ran toward the vessel with the yellow sail, and climbed aboard using the ladder that was attached to its side. She had only been onboard one of these for a few occasions; as a matter of fact, this was the very vessel she and her Headmaster traveled on when they went to Timber on that gloomy day.

Selphie ran through its tiny corridor and found the pilot's control room, which was the Captain's Station. At the captain's wing, she found a radio that would help her to get in touch with all the other Captains as they were on the battlefield and fighting. She cleared her throat and calmed her heart before she began to speak into the radio. "All captains, report to the vessels and order your forces to pull back also. I repeat, all captains report to the vessels and order your forces to pull back, A.S.A.P."

After the captains gave their orders to their men, they each met up at the vessels and saw Selphie jumping off the largest ship. "Guys, we're going to fire the cannons on those Galbadian Vehicles up ahead. Please, let's move quickly because they're coming in really fast!" The captains nodded together and ran to their vessels.

After a few moments, she watched the cannons appear at the sides of each of the ships. Selphie ran toward everyone who had been fighting and shouted at the top of her lungs, "Trabia and Balamb, this way! Take cover!" She said while running through, just as Zell had done, and Zell, upon hearing this, repeated her orders even louder than she had. All armies, including Galbadia, began to move back to the safest area in order to avoid the attacks.

Rinoa saw what was happening and decided that it was best to follow the crowd as well. She took advantage of a few Galbadian soldiers, whose back were turned and charging after her comrades, and defeated them. "Woo!" She shouted and continued to follow everyone else.

* * *

Squall saw a few of SeeDs struggling, and another bunch that was clueless about the battle. They seemed to have fighting talent, but weren't using their skills affectively. He observed as one young woman had cast Blizzaga on a soldier, but almost missed her target when someone jumped in front of her. A young man went slashing through, but he left himself wide open for an attack and was also injury prone. And the last person seemed to be multi-talented on the field, but was lacking speed because she was too afraid to do anything. Seeing this, Squall ran to them and hoped that they would heed his advice.

"You three! Mage, focus your attacks on the enemy and don't let their swiftness fool you, these weaklings will _never_ dodge a magic attack. Defender, strike them soon after she casts the spell, catching them off guard is your advantage. Red mage, continue casting cure spells on your comrades, and also remember to shield them from the attack. Should he miss his attack queue, be on guard to strike in his place! Got that!"

All three of the soldiers nodded and as soon as they put his advice to use, they found themselves taking down numerous Galbadians exceedingly better than before. He saw them smile and continue their work.

"Trabia and Balamb, this way! Take cover!" He heard Selphie's voice and then Zell's over the rumbling crowd of soldiers.

"What are they doing!" He said while looking around himself for the incoming danger.

Fearsome gunfire was shot amongst the crowd by the Galbadian Vehicles, and Squall ran back to follow the crowd as well.

"Come on, get out of here!" He said before running, hoping that the others heard his words and ran for safety as well. He looked up and saw that they fled and were making safe progress away from the oncoming vehicles. The Vehicles were indeed charging in, and Squall dropped to the ground to escape the flying bullets.

"Idiots!" He yelled aloud and covered his head as debris clouded the air. Squall looked back and saw that the Vehicles were moving in quickly, and there was no way to stop them.

"Leonhart!" When Squall turned around, he saw Irvine was crawling on the ground and not too far away. Squall didn't answer him, as he was more concerned with the approaching Galbadians.

"This is crazy!" Irvine continued.

"They're _your _men." Squall snapped as he buried his head under his hands.

"You've gotta be kidding me. There's no way I'm a part of _that_."

"Oh really?" Squall said sarcastically.

"Really. …So why don't you just watch this." Irvine smiled and reached for his Valiant. After a few moments of concentration, a fiery glow illuminated their surroundings that came from his shotgun. Within seconds, a fireball shot from his Valiant and exploded one of the moving vehicles; ashes and crusts scattered across the grassy plains. "Woo!" He cheered from the ground and slid a finger across the tip of his hat signaling his victory.

"I'm impressed…but…" Squall pointed at the rest of the vehicles, which were up to thirty-five altogether.

"Yeah, I know." He ended his cheery frenzy and became serious again.

"There's no way we can take down all of them like this…" Squall sighed as he hid.

"I know what you mean, 'cause if they continue forcing everyone back, …they'll win for sure."

"Never!"

Just as Squall spoke, the Galbadians were running back toward their vehicles, followed by mini explosions, which sounded simultaneously upon the Alcauld Plains.

"Whoa!" Squall shouted and got to his feet. Irvine was right behind him, and the two ran with the Galbadians away from the SeeDs' threats. Up ahead, they saw the smoking remains of the vehicles that were once moving in firing range to attack everyone that got in their way.

"Where are those explosions coming from?" Irvine yelled while running, and Squall was brave enough to look back. He stopped running when he saw the big crowd of SeeDs gathered near the shoreline, and there was smoke rising from the vessels.

"Loose cannons!" He exclaimed while pointing to the large dark metallic colored ships.

"What!" Irvine said while stopping his run, and he looked back with Squall. "We're alive!" He jumped up and held his shotgun in the air, but when he realized Squall wasn't cheering with him, he stopped completely. He noticed that Squall's eyes were searching for someone in particular; either Rinoa or Seifer, Irvine knew both were on his personal search list. Because Squall was silent, Irvine quietly parted and headed for the ground forces of Galbadia. Seeing that they had decreased in forces, now was a good time to frighten off the remaining troops. "Duck hunt." He said with a smirk and held onto his weapon with great anticipation to the end of war.

* * *

Xu looked at the fleeing soldiers and smiled. She and the others had watched as the Commanders aligned their vessels with the Vehicles and fired their cannons. They all watched as the fire rained upon the Galbadians with haste and devastation. Zell laughed and cheered with Selphie, and the two excitedly hugged Quistis, who sat in amazement as she watched their enemies' forces turn to shreds. After all the dreadful hardship the team had gone through trying to explain their plan to the Trabians, the sight of their success was pleasing indeed. Quistis also saw Rinoa from where she stood, and Rinoa seemed to be lost.

"Quistis, what's the matter? Aren't you happy that we got rid of those vehicles?"

"Of course I'm happy about that, but it's just…" Quistis went quiet as if at a lost for words. When she saw Rinoa, she wanted to help her, but then the thought of the girl being the General's Daughter still bothered her. Although she was concerned for Rinoa's safety, something inside wanted her to just leave her be.

"It's Rinoa! What is she doing?" Zell said, and his voice snapped her out of her little thoughts. Quistis looked at Rinoa and sighed as Zell continued, "Guys, even though we've wiped out their firepower, that doesn't mean all these ground troops will disappear too!"

"Uh huh, we have to scare 'em off like we did in Dollet, right Zell?"

"Right!" He watched as the Galbadians bunched together and took on one SeeD at a time. He held if fist in a ball as he continued to watch. "Arrrgh, we have to get down there quick!"

"Rinoa looks like she's in danger too!" Selphie said while preparing to run in to aid Rinoa in battle.

"Come on!" Both Selphie and Zell said, but Quistis hesitated a second before she followed them into the danger zone.

* * *

In the midst of battle, Rinoa was searching for Angelo. She had lost the canine when the explosions first began. Her companion was at first tagging along with her every move, but after that last blast, the dog was nowhere to be found. She sighed and disappeared into the crowd of Galbadians, preparing herself to fend them off as well.

* * *


	13. Merciful Cry

_**Clash of the Gardens**_

_**

* * *

**_

_**Merciful Cry**_

* * *

****

Seifer took advantage of the SeeDs' gathering point and had ordered a few of his men to accompany him as he began to slay the weaker SeeDs; this would help to eliminate any smaller attacks against him that could probably catch him off guard and actually cause a bit of damage. He worked his way through, pulling the trigger with every swing, taking life after life with ease and pleasure.

This was _his _war, this was _his_ battle, it was what he had hoped for, what he prayed for; yes, this was indeed the dream that Seifer once dreamt. He smiled and gruesomely disposed of his enemies. The refreshing smell of gunpowder and fear, yes, this was his heaven all over again. And he recalled a set of eyes on his movements, but when he turned around, nothing could prepare him for what he saw next.

It was Squall, the only man that was able to make him think twice about his movement in battle, the only person that made him exhausted whilst his adrenaline pushed on. He saw Squall standing in one place that was far out in distance, fearlessly watching him with narrowed eyes. Seifer smirked and continued his massacre of SeeDs to further upset his rival.

* * *

When Squall looked at him, the flashback haunted him again. His own anger…was it, fear instead? Why couldn't he move? Was the sight of his comrades' deaths enough to make him drop his weapon and plea for mercy? Squall spat on the ground and wiped his mouth. He did the only thing he could do in this situation, the only thing that he was taught to do; he fought.

Squall charged, for this was how he could make up for all those lost souls of the past; he charged into battle with the remaining groups of Galbadians as they continued to fight off the SeeDs.

"ENOUGH!" Squall said as he ran through the other soldiers, casting spells and slinging his gunblade wildly. Only their screams could be heard. His heart was now pumping at a speed he never thought were physically possible. His body was full of heat and rage, yet the battles began to soothe him.

When he slashed through the flesh of one man, he realized that all the other soldiers who were attacking him were now dead and their bodies lied around his feet. Finally, only one of them remained and he was up ahead slaughtering the SeeDs just as Squall had done to the Galbadian Soldiers. Squall's eyes narrowed at the sight of that man, but for a split second, it was like glaring into a mirror. He was seeing himself for who he truly was: a soldier purposely trained to bring death to others with no mercy. Squall became angry and finally charged toward Seifer.

Seifer turned around and saw Squall running at him like a mad animal on the loose. He smirked and held up his gunblade. "Back for more, eh?" He said quietly while Squall was running toward him. Squall looked at the SeeDs nearby Seifer and called out to them.

"Attack Galbadia, Move out! Now!" And with that, most of them were able to attack the other Galbadian soldiers around. They rushed passed Squall and his opponent and struck Galbadia's line of defense. Squall leapt and powerfully brought down his blade onto Seifer.

Seifer was surprised at Squall's strength, but when he began to swing his blade, Squall met the blade first with his Revolver and knocked the Hyperion from the hands of the lunatic. Seifer was once again surprised, and he looked at the Hyperion as it fell insignificantly to the ground. His heart was with that Gunblade, and without it, he felt like nothing.

When he tried to reach for it, Squall punched, cramming his fist into Seifer's jaw, which made him stagger about for a bit. Seifer placed his hand on his jaw and moved it from left to right to ease the sharp pain.

"So you'd strike an unarmed man?" He said as he spat out blood that came from the back of his mouth.

"Don't give me that. Calling yourself a man is a joke."

"What!"

"Compared to you, Deling looks like an innocent bystander. He gave the orders and you followed, just like a good boy."

"I don't take orders from anyone, I do what I want when I want to! Thanks to me, that Deling scum is no more! I showed him not to play with me, just like I'm gonna show you!"

"…Deling is dead?" Squall asked out of disbelief.

"What did you expect? You thought _he _sent us over here? Guess what, all of these soldiers you see, are under _my _command. That means they do what _I_ say, and at anytime I please! So be careful, SeeD…don't push your limits."

"Shut up!"

"Take aim!" Seifer commanded three of the soldiers standing near he and Squall, and immediately they took aim.

"You know you're standing directly in their firing range too…don't you?"

"They won't shoot me, and that's a fact. I want to be the last person you see before you die, so you can be sure that I've won our battle."

"You're sick." Squall said, and Seifer grinned. Heavy footsteps were heard approaching on the soft grasslands of Balamb toward the group of men.

"You coward…" A voice called out from a far, and it was Irvine's. "Seifer, what's gotten into you?"

"Irvine, you can go home to your mother now because I'm in charge here."

"Only because you killed Deling." Squall said while never taking his eyes away from Seifer, but Seifer only laughed.

"Whoa! Are you serious?" Irvine said while looking at Squall. "Then doesn't that mean this war is pointless right now?"

"…" Squall was quiet, he knew the war wasn't pointless; in fact, the war was far from over. He looked at Seifer and smirked. "You killed Deling because he reminded you of how cowardly you are. Think about it, you've lost the battle between our gunblades, and now you want to have me shot because of that."

Seifer smirked, "I haven't lost because we aren't finished yet, and Deling got what was coming to him anyway."

Suddenly, the ashy radio tried to break through a message from the Galbadian Missile Base.

"Sir…Sir…we were…attacked…by…Est-" The soldier's voice was instantly cut off for some unknown reason. Seifer looked down at his radio and ripped it from his side.

"Useless, they're all useless! I don't see how Deling put his faith in any of them!" He threw the radio down on the ground and stepped on it; the device crackled beneath his heavy boot. "I was threatening to have Trabia bombed, but that didn't work out. Lucky for them, eh? I personally believed it would have made them fight harder than how they were trained to fight before. I pity their weakness. I must say that I was impressed that they managed to destroy my armored cars. I had no idea those vessels were armed and dangerous; I guess even the underdog's have secrets…" Seifer laughed and shook his head. Suddenly gunshots were fired.

"Ugh!"

"Ow!"

"Ooof!" The sounds of three Galbadian Soldiers falling victim to Irvine's flawless shooting, the same three that were aiming at Squall.

Irvine aimed at Seifer next and sighed. "…I'm sorry Seifer."

* * *

In the midst of all the fighting, Rinoa had found her comrades: Selphie, Zell, and Quistis.

A team of people with different backgrounds: a team from Balamb, Trabia, and Galbadia, all joining forces in this heated ongoing war. They ran through like true warriors, leaving devastating blows to the soldiers of Galbadia, but when Rinoa saw Squall with two men, one aiming his gun and the other pointing at Squall, she ran over as quickly as possible.

"Rinoa!" The others called out to her, but she quickly left them. They all ran after her, but when they saw what she was running to, they understood why she ran as fast as she had.

Irvine continued to aim at Seifer, and Seifer somehow looked nervous. "Irvine, just like _that_…you're going to _kill_ me? How long have we been friends?"

"You call what we had, a friendship? You only belittled me with your stupid comments…"

"What? Since when did you _care_?"

"I'm a soldier too, Seifer! You and Deling both failed to realize that I'm as strong as I want to be. Heck, I'm the best shot Galbadia's got, but they prasied you because you wield that exotic weapon. By the way, where is it _now_!" Irvine teased, "So there you are standing defenseless, and begging me for your life. Too many people have died because of you Seifer…you weren't there, you didn't see Timber the way I saw it. There is no way I can stand to be a part of you or Galbadia anymore. So when you say that we're friends, I'll have to say that I don't think so."  
"Squall!" Rinoa called out and struck Irvine with a thunder spell. Irvine yelled out in agony as the attack was even more excruciating because he was caught by surprise, and he fell to the ground. Seifer took advantage of the scene and reached for his Hyperion because Squall had turned from him when he heard his name called. Squall saw Rinoa running toward him, but she damaged Irvine before he could stop her.

"No! Rinoa, stay back!"

"Exactly!" Seifer said while grabbing Squall in a chokehold and then moving the Hyperion's blade near Squall's neck to prevent any further attempts of attack. "Stay back you filth!" He said while looking at Rinoa. "_You're_ the reason all this is happening!"

"Squall!" Selphie shouted as she saw what was going on; she and the others had finally made it to the scene. "Hey!" She yelled out to Seifer, and Seifer saw that this was his opportune moment to expose Rinoa's secrets to her new allies.

"Rinoa, you caused all these people strife and you know it! You and that _beast_ you have for a father, but you won't call him your dad anymore because you're just as guilty of betrayal as he is."

"Shut up, Seifer!" She yelled out. "My past can't hurt me! What is done is _done_!"

"I don't believe that one bit. _You_ wanted me to help you stop the Factions only because they were planning a direct attack against your father, who I thought you truly hated. Even if you did run away from him, he was still your dear old dad, wasn't he?"

"That's not true! I didn't do anything!"

"Then why did you ask me to persuade Deling to send troops to Timber in order to get rid of the factions? I'm sure you knew well about the missiles and how Deling was itching to use them. You _knew_ what would happen, yet still you continued to beg for my assistance. And knowing me…you see, I only went along with the idea because I love the sound of war." Just as Seifer spoke, Squall sighed.

"How can you love something which you know nothing of? You call this _war?_ You've been cheating since we started this nonsense." Squall said while in Seifer's grasp. Seifer angrily released the chokehold and kicked Squall to the ground. He used his gunblade and slashed across Squall's back. He could feel the gunblade tearing through the layers of Squall's coat and the t-shirt, and then he felt the blade meet with his enemy's bare skin. The blade ripped through and dug deep into Squall's back, but when it sliced swiftly, the blade barely left any blood splatter; however, Squall felt an immense amount of pain and could no longer hold in his cries. "Aaah!" Squall grimaced and managed to get to his knees.

"Squall!" Rinoa cried an emotional sorrow so deep that the fighting around them had now ceased. Everyone turned their attention toward the scene and slowly lowered their weapons. A few Soldiers lined up on the side and looked at Seifer as he stood behind Squall. Seifer grabbed Squall's hair and pulled his head back; he lowered his head and spoke into Squall's ear with a cold and shaky voice, "No one calls me a cheat…" He rose from Squall's face and looked at the gathering crowds of both Galbadians and Seeds.

"Every man will witness this! The leader of you SeeDs will die by my hands! Watch and remember how I take his meaningless life!-"  
"Halt!" A woman's voice called out to Seifer. She looked at Squall as he was being held up by his hair by none other than Seifer the lunatic, and collected her strength to trade places with Squall. "He's not the Commander! _I am!_" Xu shouted over the crowds and made her way visible to Seifer.

"Don't make me laugh!" Seifer smirked.

"It's _not _a joke!" She snapped.

"She's telling the truth, Seifer." Irvine said while rising up from the ground. He had still been lying on the ground after he was struck by lightning, afraid that Rinoa would strike him again; however, seeing that things had 'settled down' a little, he decided that now was a good time to rise from his fear. Irvine pointed to Xu while looking at Seifer. "That chick is _the_ Commander of SeeD here at Balamb Garden. You know I wouldn't lie because I have no reason to."

Although he knew he could trust Irvine's words, Seifer was furious. Angrily, he raised the injured Squall from the ground by his hair and pulled his head back to see his face. Squall could only see the sky above, but he knew that Seifer was leering down at him. "…Who the heck are you?" He angrily questioned Squall, who winced as his back felt the stinging sensation from the blowing wind forcing his clothes against his wound.

"I'm Squall Leonhart, a SeeD from Balamb Garden." Squall said before he quickly lifted his hand wielding the Revolver and turned the tip of the blade so that it pointed to the ground. In one quick thrust backward and up, Squall stabbed Seifer's thigh and pulled back his gunblade from the newly created wound. Seifer cursed and dropped his blade before backing away from Squall. He placed his hands on his thigh and glared at Squall who still sat facing forward and never looking back at him.

"_All this time I thought he was their leader. How can he not be their leader? He moves like one in power. …And they were taking his orders as if he were their Commander. How can he not be? All this time…" _Seifer comforted his wounded thigh, when Squall got to his feet and faced him.

"…Why do you want me dead?"

_I want you dead because… I envy you. _Seifer openly admitted to himself, but he would never reveal this to anyone, nor would he lead anyone on to thinking that he was jealous of Squall.

Becoming impatient of Seifer's response, Squall asked him again. "_Why_ do you want me dead?"

Seifer grinned, "I don't have to _have_ a reason to kill you. This is a war. _War_ kills people, and that's the basic principal of all military education." Seifer nodded to the soldiers who had lined up on the side, and they took aim at Squall.

"Again!" Squall shouted angrily, but this time Squall ignored their presence and kicked Seifer to the ground and towered him. His dark shadow loomed over Seifer, causing the blood in Seifer's veins to rush to his face.

"What are you waiting for? Shoot him, now!" Seifer ordered.

"Why can't you see that you're powerless? Killing the president doesn't put you in charge of anyone." Squall pointed the Revolver directly at Seifer's face, and Seifer felt himself swallowing a lump in his throat. "Face it Seifer…you've lost." The two stared at each other for almost an entire minute, but they both heard light and swift footsteps heading directly toward them, and the armed guns loading on the side.

"Aah! Squall!" Rinoa shouted as shots were fired and everything suddenly went black.

* * *

Rinoa had stared at the line of soldiers that gathered at Seifer's calling. Of the four of them, one looked extremely nervous. When Seifer ordered them to take aim, she saw _his_ was the only gun that was unsteady. And when Seifer ordered them to fire, he had almost pulled the trigger back, but the others hadn't moved their fingers at all.

Once Squall held his Revolver near Seifer's face, Rinoa saw that the same soldier's finger was pulling back the trigger. Unsure of what to do, Rinoa charged in and screamed for Squall to take cover, but once she charged in, surprise took all of the soldiers and they fired at once.

"Aaah!" The screams of both Rinoa and Squall were heard in unison.

"Rinoa! Squall!" Zell yelled out as the crowd became unstable, and the soldiers were taken down immediately. Quistis and Selphie both were in shock, and they remained where they stood. Irvine was among those to help exterminate the gunmen, seeing that it was the only way to stop the panic of those that stood nearby. Even Kent was taken by surprise, but he had helped Irvine defeat the soldiers.

Quistis watched as the two figures lay on the ground, both damaged by the gunshots, both possibly dead, and still she hadn't realized what Rinoa had just done. The girl had thrown herself in front of Squall to protect him from incoming bullets, and It was then that Quistis realized that the scene was real: their bodies lay motionless in the grass. Still, she was unable to move a single muscle in her body to help.

* * *

When Squall opened his eyes, he saw an unconscious Rinoa lying atop himself. His heart sank and all those hateful thoughts he previously had toward her, melted away. When he slowly sat up, he felt agonizing pain overtake his being. Despite his own injuries, he managed to lay Rinoa own her back, but he was unable to get himself to move from her; and so he laid there, half on her body, and moved his gloved hand to her face.

"Rinoa…" All of the scene, the chaos around them had vanished. It was only she and him that lay in that field. He felt a trembling tear eager to leave his eye. "…Rinoa. Please get up." He begged her as the tear finally escaped his eye and fell onto her chin. He moved his face side by side with her soft cheek and softly caressed her skin with his own. The warmth she produced, the breath she released, and those interesting thoughts swirling throughout her mind were all things Squall had taken for granted. He hadn't realized how important this woman was to him until now.

Funny how he would rather hear her whimpering right now more than anything else in the world, but as she lay motionless, he too felt himself gradually weakening. Although he felt like he could cry a river, not another tear left from either of his eyes.

He rested his face against her cheek and prepared to let his body fall motionless in death as well. Almost instantly after he made his choice, he heard her moan softly and felt her body shivering as if thawing from the cold. "Rinoa?" He questioned her and slowly lifted his head to meet her eyes, they were almost sparkling with tears when she was finally able to open them. He felt his vision blurring slowly, but he wouldn't give in to his body's desperate plea for rest. He fought back and touched her face again.

"Squall…" She managed before wincing in pain.

"…Don't talk." He whispered.

"No, Squall…this is it. I'm…dying." She felt her eyes burning and filling with tears now, and a few flowed out from the corners of both her eyes.

"Don't say that. You'll…You'll be…fine." He felt himself slowly slipping away. He tried to move his body in order to shake off the deathly sensations, but only found that he was hurting Rinoa. She cried out almost immediately after he moved, and Squall noticed that her side had been wounded. He moved his hand down to her side and closed his eyes. Just as he touched her wound, she recalled the day that Angelo was accidentally attacked, and how he had cured her pet without question but never talked about why he did it.

She moved her hand to touch his face, which was incredibly warm, and managed a small smile. Uncertain if it were caused by the heat of battle and the energy draining from within, or just by her touch, Squall felt himself relaxing into her hand's warmness. He knew for a fact that he couldn't allow Rinoa to die from that gunshot wound because she didn't deserve to die as she had told herself countless times before. She needed to survive because there were so many people in Timber waiting for her to return; they needed _her_ more than anyone else.

Even though she was guilty of playing a major role in the war, she was as innocent as those people Timber who lived rotten lives under the laws of Deling; given he were in her shoes, he probably would have did the same thing. Her happiness, her guiltiness, and sadness were _her_ sources of survival and caused her to cry all the time. Although he hated to admit it, Rinoa had save his life far more than he saved her own. Just to openly accept the things of the past and learn from them, apply them to everyday life, and then forget them; these were Rinoa's rules that Squall finally understood and had taken in. All Squall had to do now was repay her; physically save her for how she mentally saved him.

Rinoa felt the healing sensation of the cure going to use, but she noticed that Squall's head was slowly falling onto her body; he was swiftly losing his consciousness. She wrapped her arms around him, but Squall felt nothing from her anymore. His eyes saw only darkness, and there was silence all around him. He looked around to see the depths of nothingness, and darkness was all that filled the abyss.

His wounds were critical and causing major problems with his ability to move on. Squall fell to his knees and took a deep breath, hoping that the breath would soothe his wounds for just a second; however, the breath was impossible to take as he felt his lungs closing inside of himself. He gasped for air but nothing came about, and he pounded his fist onto his chest hoping that he would punch some air into them, but it too had failed. He was now becoming paralyzed and everything he did to survive seemed to only quicken his suffering.

Rinoa felt him trembling, but she couldn't understand what was happening to him. She couldn't see his face, nor was his heart beat traceable. When he released a heavy sighed, she panicked and tightly grabbed onto him.

Squall was letting himself give in to the pain and sorrow, something was killing him slowly; for every life he took, a lifetime of misery is granted. He gave up after all attempts of freedom proved futile, and had allowed his body to ease in the smothering depths of darkness.

"Squall, no…I won't…I won't let you go." A tiny voice said into his mind. Rinoa kissed his forehead and closed her eyes in deep concentration. She was crying and holding onto him, and had no intention of losing him there and then; but before she had a chance to speak again to Squall, she felt his body being pulled away from her. She reached out for him, but was too weak to grab his hand. "Squall!"

Seifer watched the two of them on the ground, and like everyone else, he was surprised that the guns were fired; but because Squall had the gunblade pointed at him, he thought it was Squall's gunblade that was fired. Seeing the two of them lying on the ground, Seifer felt the rhythm tic beating of his heart cease to continue. That could have been _his_ life that was wasted away by gunshots fired from his own men.

Now that the two of them were dead, he saw no reason to continue the war; his opponent was now vanquished from reality. When he sat up and settled his eyes on Rinoa, he saw Squall roll Rinoa's body to her back and speak to her. Anger flustered his soul once again as he thought to himself: _What is it going to take to kill that idiot?_ After a few moments registering the existence of a rival once again, he rose to his feet and approached him. Seifer grabbed the collar of Squall's coat and lifted him away from Rinoa. He noticed that Squall was weak and hadn't tried to fight back from his pull.

Rinoa could only scream, "Squall!" And with her trembling arms, she lifted her Pinwheel high and aimed directly at Seifer. She pushed fiercely to allow the blade take off; however, like so many other times when it performed as a boomerang, this time the blade hadn't returned to her. Seifer released Squall instantly and reached behind his back; the Blaster Edge disc blade was seen sticking half out of his back by the others as they watched speechlessly. Suddenly, all the pain from his grandiose wound registered in his mind, and he desperately reached an arm back to try and remove the blade from his shoulder area.

"What did you do to me!" Seifer yelled at Rinoa as he struggled to remove the disc.

"? Squall!" Rinoa rejoiced as Squall was actually standing from the ground. Slowly but surely he was getting up, despite his gunshot wounds. He grabbed the handle of his gunblade and limped behind Seifer to tap his shoulder. When Seifer turned, he was shocked, but before he could move a muscle to retaliate, Squall had thrust the gunblade into Seifer's abdomen with all the force he could bare.

Squall looked at Seifer's face and clearly saw him struggling, but he gave Seifer a serious glare in which his eyes instantly seemed to transform from grayish blue to an ominous red.  
In a shaky, yet lucid voice Squall spoke, "…You mentioned death today, didn't you?" Squall smirked and continued after receiving a terrified look from Seifer, "Death is inevitable, if not today then tomorrow…it _will_ happen sometime. But for you, my _'friend'_…that time…is now." He slowly pulled the Revolver from Seifer's flesh and pushed him on the ground. Seifer fell back with a heavy sigh, which was a release of tension but a welcoming in of pain. He closed his eyes while letting out his death cry.

Squall watched him fall back, knowing that the face of Seifer would _never_ cross his mind in his nightmares because Seifer deserved punishment for what he caused. His recklessness caused havoc and death for so many people of all ages; and it was only natural that his time to go was _now_.

"…This war…is over." Squall said, right before collapsing and falling just as Seifer had.

As he fell, night had overtaken the orange sky. The tension, the peacefulness, and stillness of the air haunted everyone who took part in the clash of steel and gunpowder. A reflection revealed itself within every man and woman, each received his or her own revelation: needless to say, all were quiet and still.

* * *


	14. Ambience

**_Clash of the Gardens_**

**_

* * *

_**

**_Ambience _**

* * *

****

It was dark all around on the fields of Balamb, and not a single person could bring himself to celebrate. The Galbadians surrendered, and were rounded up together. Trabia helped the remaining SeeDs to gather the bodies of those who had fallen, and orderly lined them up on the ground. Rinoa was there, cradling Squall in her arms and rocking back and forth. She knew he was still alive, but he didn't seem to want to wake up. She wasn't crying, but only cuddling him. The others had watched her from afar unsure of how to speak to her.

Finally, Quistis walked up to Rinoa and knelt down beside her. She took a deep breath and forced a smile to help ease the girl's mind. "Rinoa, we need to take him to the Infirmary, and you have to go there too, okay?"  
Rinoa was in a daze. It was as if all the events of earlier hadn't happened at all. Quistis touched her shoulder and tried again, "Rinoa, please snap out of it."

"Oh-huh?" She looked up at her in a disoriented state of mind and forced herself to pay attention to Quistis' words.  
"I said we have to bring you two to the Infirmary right now."

She looked down at Squall's face and sighed. He looked like an innocent child as he slept in her arms. "The Infirmary? …Yeah, okay." She spoke absentmindedly, but Quistis was relieved to see that she had made an attempt to talk with her. She smiled and nodded her head.

"Let's go, okay?"

"…Yeah." Rinoa allowed them to carry Squall to the infirmary, and let Selphie move an arm around her shoulder for comfort.

"Come on, Rinoa, everything will be alright! Cheer up!" She looked at Selphie and sighed again. She tried to smile, but didn't have the strength to move the muscles in her face. Rinoa didn't want to be rude and so she looked at Selphie with soft eyes and said,

"…Thanks, Selphie." Those were the only words she could bring herself to speak.

Selphie accepted and helped her friend back into Balamb Garden.

* * *

Two days after the clash, the gardens were in no shape to participate in any other battles. All of those who were injured were sent to the hospital of Balamb City, because it was the closest and most reliable medical center that could care for so many people at a time. The Infirmary was simply too small to treat all of those people that were injured in the war.

Balamb City was informed about the outcome of the war and it's twists, and why it led up to the point of attack on the isolated continent. Even after the situation was thoroughly explained, the citizens and hospitals gave the injured Galbadian Soldiers a hard time for treatment.

Because the complications between the hospital staff and soldiers were intense, Dr. Kadowaki saw that the SeeDs, who weren't as badly injured as majority of the others, were taken care of in the infirmary. Even though there was a mass majority, she knew it would slim the numbers of those injured by a great deal for the hospitals; thus, causing the doctors to compromise and allow the treatment to begin.

Rinoa sat beside Squall's bed. For two whole days he slept so soundly, and it was rumored that he had fallen into a coma. She had actually begun to believe it were true, and decided to prove herself wrong: She would wait for him to open his eyes and prove everyone else wrong.

* * *

By the next morning, Rinoa was asked to an audience with Headmaster Cid. She had walked inside his office, afraid of what the old man had to say to her. _He'll put me with the rest of the Galbadians and I'll have to wait for trial because of what I did before. I knew this was going to happen, and that's why I'm not surprised._ She thought to herself when she entered his office, but to her surprise, the old man looked extremely calm.

"Hello, Ms. Heartilly. How are you feeling now?"

"…Um…I'm…I'm okay, sir."

"Good, I know this time is rough for everyone right now, so it's no surprise that you might feel a bit down too." He scratched his head and looked at some paper on his desk, and finally brought his eyes back to hers. "I received a phone call from your father. He has asked me to have you leave Balamb Garden, and join him in Deling City immediately."

"Didn't you turn him down, sir? I'm not going back there."

"I'm afraid I couldn't. You see…the General has taken over since Deling was found murdered in his office. During the war, he waited patiently as Seifer Almasy and his platoon were defeated. He wasn't sure if you were alive and he was relieved to hear that you've stayed here. He is really worried about you, and wants you to return to your home with him."

"No. No sir, I'm not going to go."

"I'm sorry Rinoa, but if you don't go home, you'll put us all in danger once more. Everyone in Garden has been busy trying to help with the wounded, so we aren't prepared to fight in another battle as of now."

"Headmaster Cid, I don't trust that man." She sighed, "But for the sake of everyone in Balamb…I'll go."

"Good. Oh yes, before I forget. He said he wants to discuss some business issues with you that I believe might be related to Timber. You really shouldn't waste anymore time here with us. If you want, I could send some people to accompany you."

Timber? What does he want to do with Timber? Is he planning on finishing the job that Deling started? Rinoa had thought to herself and completely forgot to reply to the Headmaster.

"Rinoa?"

"Oh, I'm sorry. You don't need to send others with me. They'll be much more useful if they stayed behind and helped with the wounded like you said before. He's my father, so I know he won't try anything stupid. I'll be fine.

"I understand."

"Sir, it would really make me happy if I could stay just a little bit longer today."

"…Of course, I'm sure you have your reasons." He said softly, and Rinoa took a deep breath and nodded her head. _Squall…_

"…Headmaster Cid?"

"Yes?"

"Did he sound angry over the phone? Was there any tension present at any time during the phone conversation?"

"No, he was rather formal about it. I suppose he wants this to go as smoothly as possible. It seems _everyone_ wants peace at the moment."

"Yeah…" _Even if he is my father, he's still a part of Galbadia, and he always supported Deling; who knows what he'll do now that everything is in his hands alone. _"Was that all you wished to talk to me about?"

"That's all."

"Thank you." She said while rising from her seat.

"You're welcome, and please remember, Rinoa, that you are always welcome at Balamb Garden." He said with a smile that just happened to calm her fears for a moment. She smiled back to him and walked to the door. Before she exited, she heard the old man sigh heavily as if he too were nervous when talking to her. She shrugged her shoulders and left the room.

* * *

Rinoa headed back to Squall's dormitory and opened his door to let herself inside. She closed the door behind herself and stared at him as he lay in a coma on his bed. _What am I going to do now?_ Rinoa walked beside his bed and touched his face. She traced a finger on the wound across his forehead and smiled to herself.

"Where are you right now? Are you ever going to come back?" She sighed and stared at his face, his innocent boyish face that looked even more peaceful at this state. When she was lost in his features, she felt the urge to take advantage of his unconsciousness and spill her inner thoughts upon him.

"Squall…" She started and sat on his bed beside him. "…I'm going to have to leave soon." She eased her body on his bed and rested face to face with him. "I…I have a bad feeling that if I leave, I won't be able to come back to Balamb. I might be separated from you for a long time…even though you probably won't care that I'm gone."

She took a deep breath and continued, "You wanted me to go away, and I bet you wished for it, too. Well, guess what? Your wish has been granted; Caraway wants me to see him on terms of business. I can't tell you what we'll talk about because I don't even know that myself. Squall, I wanted to personally let you know that…I won't follow you anymore. Whether you like it or not, I'm going back to where I belong and hopefully I'll be able to give my friends the proper burial that they really deserve; as you suggested when we first met." She sat still for a moment as her throat began to hurt when she tried to use her voice again.

Her voice was scratchy and on the verge of releasing a sorrowful moan, "…Squall." Her eyes were watering and she moved her head to his chest while closing her eyes. "Please tell me to stay and I'll stay. Tell me that it's right not to follow Caraway's commands. Tell me that you want me around and that I am not a burden on you." A sniffling Rinoa grabbed Squall's forearm and squeezed tightly while beginning to cry. "Why can't you see that I…" She quieted down, "…I'm so…" She rose to meet his unconscious state again and sighed, "…I'm fooling myself, huh?" Rinoa smiled at him even though she felt terrible inside. "And what's more…you told me not to cry so much."

Rinoa sat up and grabbed Squall's hand. She entwined her fingers with his and smiled when she saw his ring. "…I know that you've been alone for most of your life, and I know it's been hard for you; so let me tell you this…" She fingered the Griever ring on his index finger and turned it around. "…Whenever you wake up, and I'm not here…please don't think that I've abandoned you just like everyone else did. I have a reason to leave, and if you want, I'll come back to you." She sighed, "And just so you will have not only my word on this, I'll…" She slid the ring from his finger and held it in her palm, "I'll take your ring. This way if you really want it back, if you really love this ring as much as you say you do…you'll come back for it, right?"

She laughed softly and continued, "Besides, you're strong enough without the help of Griever, so let him protect me for just a little while, okay?"

Rinoa moved closer to his face and kissed his cheek, "I have to go now Squall. I'll…I'll _always_ remember you." She rose from the bed and walked to the door with the ring clasped tightly in her palm. She looked back at his sleeping figure and smiled with a whisper, "Thank you." She left his room and closed the door gently.

As she exited, Squall opened his eyes and looked at his hand. He saw the void, which Griever once occupied, but to his surprise it felt no different than before. He smiled and turned over on his bed. Squall had been awake the entire time. He heard every last word Rinoa said to him just a few moments ago. He had awakened from his deep slumber that morning, but she wasn't in the room when he first opened his eyes.

Because he had little experience with goodbyes, he allowed her to speak for them both. Squall listened to what she had to say, and realized that if he had revealed his status, she probably wouldn't leave to meet with her father. For sake of orders and what was for the best, he chose to remain 'asleep' so that she would leave without having to make a choice of her own. However, losing his ring was never a part of the plan; he found himself smirking when he closed his eyes. He _was_ going to get his ring back, even if that meant traveling hundreds of miles by foot: no one can take Griever away from him and live to talk about it.

* * *

Cid sat in his office and spoke into the phone, "Rinoa Caraway is on her way now, be sure to be quick about it, okay? I don't want anyone getting injured, and I must warn you that this young woman can be stubborn. …Oh don't worry about that, she's leaving alone. She took part in the battle a few days ago…yes, it's possible that she could be dangerous. Please have your captain notified-what, he doesn't even know that we're talking?" _Who is running that place?_

Xu walked into his office and saluted him, he looked up and raised an eyebrow, "Sorry, sir, I was just coming to inform you that Ms. Caraway has left our premises."

He placed his hand over the receiver and nodded his head to Xu, "Good. Thank you, Xu."

"You're welcome." Xu walked out and stood outside his office. "I guess it's back to square one. Here I am, performing the duties of secretary once again, but this time…I think I like this a lot better." She took a deep breath and walked away from Cid's door.

"Well just get it done!" Cid's voice was heard through his doors, and Xu stopped to turn around.

"What in the world was that about?" She scratched her head and walked back to his office. This time, she knocked on the door.

"Yes? What is it?"

"…Uh, Sir."

"Xu, come in."

"…O-okay." She said and opened the door. He scratched his head and moved his glasses from his face. "Sir…I heard you shout just a short while ago-"

"Yes…I figured you would hear me. So let me tell you this before the questions begin." He sighed and stood from his desk, "During the war, I made a phone call for help."

"Sir?"

"Please listen to me, Xu. I saw that our forces were severely outnumbered and things were not looking good for us. I did the last thing anyone of us would ever want and I'm ashamed of it."

"Um…"

"I called Esthar…"

"Esthar! Hey, they're not even our allies-oh excuse me…" She sighed and continued. "We just ended our war with them about a year ago. Don't you think it's a bit too soon to beg for their help, sir?"

"I know! I know…I couldn't help myself."

"…I guess…I guess it's okay."

"…Esthar was responsible for the Missile Base explosion, and they also discovered Deling's body in Galbadia. If it weren't for them, Trabia Garden would be shambles right about now."

"…I see. Sir, if its not that bad, then…why are shouting on the phone..?"

"…Oh…yeah." He sighed and nervously began to chuckle, "I called in another favor…"

"Headmaster…"

"…It's nothing serious, Xu."

She glared at him for keeping back information, but because she was amongst his favorites, he couldn't help but to tell her. "…I had them kidnap Rinoa."

"What?"

"You'll understand in a moment…but right now, do not tell anyone; especially not Squall."

"Why is he so special?"

"I heard about those two before…and I think he'll go out and charge without first listening to the briefing."

"Yeah, that Leonhart is dangerous on the field-"

"What?"

"Oh….hehe, nothing sir."

"Good then. Xu, I'm counting on you to keep this just between the two of us. Okay?"

"Yes sir."

She saluted him and stepped out of his office. _Finally some recognition, Headmaster Cid trusts me with a mission only I know of again. Yes! I am the Commander of SeeD after all, aren't I? Who's going to stop me now?_

"Hey, Xu!" Quistis waved to her from afar.

_Oh, no…I'll have to keep my mouth shut this time._

* * *


	15. Part 5: False Solace

**_Clash of the Gardens_**

**_

* * *

_****_Part V_ : _False Solace_**

"**Live a little, it's good to laugh from time to time."**

* * *

_Finally some recognition, Headmaster Cid trusts me with only a mission I know of again. Yes! I am the Commander of SeeD after all, aren't I? Who's going to stop me now?_

"Hey, Xu!" Quistis waved to her from afar.

_Oh, no…I'll have to keep my mouth shut this time. _Xu took a deep breath and sighed. _That's it. Relax, Xu. You'll be okay! _"Hi, Quistis." She smiled and shook off her nervousness. "What brings you up here at a time like this?"

"I was coming to check up on _you_, actually."

"Really? Why's that?"

"I can't just check up on my friend?"

"Oh, I didn't mean it that way…it's just that, things have been really crazy after our battle. All of these _other _people need to be checked on and you're checking up on _me_-"

"Xu, take a breath. Please…"  
Xu sighed again and looked at the elevator. "I'm sorry." The smile once again returned to her face, "Well, I should go now. I have a lot of work to do."

"Great, I'll help you."

"Great…" Xu looked at the ceiling in wonder. _Is it just me… or is Quistis being a little too close today? Is it because I'm keeping something away from her? Just because I need to keep clear and stay to myself, she's going to hound me today. _

Quistis innocently chuckled and shook her head, "What's with you today? You need a vacation?"

"Oh…" _I would Love a vacation right now. _"No, that's ridiculous. I'm just fine. Let's go." _Excellent recovery, this will be a breeze._

* * *

Rinoa was on her way through the exiting gates when she remembered the sights of the Alcauld Plains. There were bodies of soldiers everywhere; who would want to see that? She looked at the Parking Garage and remembered the rental car she and others arrived in. A smile crept upon her lips as the idea instantly came to her mind.

Quickly, Rinoa ran to the Parking Garage and saw the old car that was once driven by Squall, parked in its lot. She ran to the vehicle and opened its door. Thankfully, had he not left the key in the sun blocker, Rinoa would have been stuck there with no ride. Rinoa cheered and put the key in the ignition. Hearing its engine roaring was like music to her ears, although, her destination was not as delightful as the sound of the car. Her smile disappeared and she pulled the car out of the parking garage.

She drove on the road through the Alcauld Plains and kept her eyes forward, not wanting to see anything her eyes would regret. All the moments of the battle returned to her. It was a thrill ride. Seeing those people trying to kill her and watching her self possess so much power, Rinoa was amazed that she had survived. She thought about the moment when she jumped in front of Squall to stop the bullets. What on earth was she thinking? At that exact moment in time, Rinoa had no clear thoughts; saving Squall was the most obvious reason for leaping before bullets. Her memories after that moment were a bit fuzzy, but she could remember only bits and pieces of what actually happen. There was one thing she was certain of: Squall had saved her life yet again.

She smiled, but shook her head. Now was not the time to think about Squall, she had to focus on getting to her father and discussing business. There was no time to think about the state she left him in. He was in a coma, a sleep that many people cannot wake from. Just thinking if Squall never woke up made her heart tremble.

She reached one hand from the steering wheel and rested it on the rings of Julia and Squall. Just feeling the metal beneath her fingers put her soul at ease. _Thank you._ She silently told them and continued to drive.

When Rinoa looked ahead, she saw that Balamb City was in her view. "Alright! All I have to do is turn this car in and go to the train station." And with that, she entered into Balamb with full confidence knowing that the spirits of her mother and Griever were with her.

* * *

Ever since Rinoa left the room, the pain from his wounds had worsened. His back ached terribly and his torso felt like shredded flesh due to the gunshot wounds. Squall was in no shape to leave his room, and he opted to stay inside and rest the day away, but sadly he needed to have Dr. Kadowaki look at his wounds. He saw that he had undergone surgery, and the bullets had been removed, but the injuries were still as fresh as ever. He wondered if Rinoa went through this kind of pain as well, and if she even had a surgery.

When he thought about her, his body tensed up and he sighed. _I wonder what Caraway's going to say to her? Maybe she's really nervous to see him. I wonder if she's scared too. Knowing her, she's probably crying. _He smiled and for a split second, noticed that his wounds didn't hurt, until he realized he had thought about his wounds and the pain came again.

"Aaah!" He pushed himself off of his bed with his arms and got to his feet quickly. "Enough of _this._" He placed his hands against his stomach and chest, the areas where he had been shot and stitched, and cast cure upon himself. Instant relief came over his being, but the wound on his back still teased him with its openness. It wasn't as bad as his gunshot wounds, but it really had hurt him when he woke up on his back, but all that changed once Rinoa entered his room before.

Squall sat on his bed and closed his eyes, and the first thing to appear in his mind were the noses of the guns those Galbadian Soldiers used on he and Rinoa. Watching the bullets fly in slow motion toward his body, seeing his end right before his very eyes, and experiencing death afterwards; that was truly an unforgettable moment.

Why had she been there? Why did she jump in front of him? He opened his eyes and looked at the floor. What possessed her to make her do something as spontaneous as that? He remembered just hours before the war, he had told her to stay back in the Garden. She disregarded what he said and went anyway. Once again, he had almost gotten her killed, but it wasn't his fault this time. No way. How could it be his fault? She chose to dive before those bullets.

As his thoughts rambled on back and forth about Rinoa, he felt his heart racing as though he were back in that moment. "Rinoa…" He muttered underneath his breath, but then questioned himself as to why he had just called her name. Still, his heart raced on, and every single thought was about Rinoa again. He sighed and stood from his bed. "I'll just go see Dr. Kadowaki."

It was an excuse, a horrible one, but it was the only way he could stop the endless thoughts of Rinoa. He got dressed, but made sure not to put on anything that would hurt the wound on his back any further, and went to see the doctor.

* * *

The Infirmary was emptier than Squall thought it would be, maybe all those injured SeeDs were taken care of over the course of his sleep from reality. He rested stomach down on the bed in the Infirmary and closed his eyes as he waited for Dr. Kadowaki to perform her treatment on his wound.

Dr. Kadowaki entered the room as she pulled plastic gloves over her aging hands and walked toward the bed. "Hello, Squall. I was wondering when you were going to wake up. …Do you _know how many people_ thought you were in a _coma_?"

"Yeah, I heard."

"You don't say? From who?"

"…Well…" He knew Rinoa was amongst those people who thought the worst possible case, just by listening to her words told him that much. He figured she had probably heard from others. "…Gossip." He said, something he knew would strike up an interesting conversation from this woman. He knew she would do most of the talking and Squall felt himself about to smile.

"Gossip, gossip, _gossip_, it's all this Garden knows, I tell you… We just survived a war, but are we concerned about the outcome? No because _Squall's_ in a _coma_!" The woman giggled and shook her head while pealing off the bandages from Squall's scarred back. Squall smiled and rested his head on his folded arms as he was listening to the old woman speak her mind.

If there was one thing that made him smile, it was listening to the doctor truthfully speak her mind. Squall wished she were around when he was a kid and had first started his training in Balamb Garden, but the doctor had arrived when he was thirteen. By that time, he was hardened and relied only on his own skills to protect him. It was later on in his life when he had gotten injured in a fight against a T-Rexaur that he met Dr. Kadowaki. Thinking back on those moments in the Infirmary, he realized that she was best thing about Balamb.

Dr. Kadowaki became a mother figure for Squall, but the relationship was never fully expressed. Sure he grew to enjoy being in the woman's company, but he never told her otherwise.

He sighed as she rubbed a cream onto his wound and bandaged him again. She had been talking off and on about who knows what, but just listening to her had eased his mind. For just that short while, Rinoa was out of his thoughts and his mind was at peace.

* * *

Quistis looked through some papers with Xu and realized there weren't too many things to be done. Sure there were plenty of papers to file, but it wasn't as much as Xu had stressed it to be. Finally, Quistis turned to Xu and sighed, "Xu, what's on your mind? You _have_ to tell me."

"…" Xu kept her eyes on the document and pretended to ignore Quistis' questions.

"Xu!"

"…Am I _that_ obvious?"

"Do you really need to ask that question?"

Xu smirked and put the paper on the table. "…I'm sorry Quistis, but it's confidential and I'm on strict orders. I can't tell you what I know."

"Come on Xu, it's not like I'm going to tell anyone."

"It doesn't matter if you tell or not, I feel that I should keep my word with Headmaster Cid."

"…Do you _want_ me to tell him that you're ready to step down as Commander? "

"Aah! You wouldn't dare!"

"Excuse me Xu, I have an appointment with the headmaster." She stood from her seat, but Xu got up and pulled her back down.

"I can't believe you would do that."

"In a heartbeat."

"Yeah, and see if _you_ ever get a promotion."  
The two laughed and sat back in their chairs. Xu closed her eyes to gather her thoughts for a few moments before she sat up and faced Quistis. She opened her eyes and the serious Commander look overtook her face. Quistis sat at the edge of her seat eager to hear the news.

"Are you ready for this?" Xu questioned her friend.

"I'm prepared for anything, now tell me."

"Our loving Headmaster…" She sighed, "called upon Esthar's help to kidnap Rinoa Caraway."

"WHAT?"

"Shh! Keep it down, Quis!" Xu said while Quistis covered her mouth in horror.

"Why-" She had to lower her tone, "Why would he do that? What is he thinking?"

"I don't know. I have no idea what's gotten into him." Xu said as she mimicked Quistis' lowered tone as well.

"What will happen once General Caraway finds out about this?"

"Who knows, but it looks pretty bad on our part. Here we are, holding loads of Galbadian Soldiers as prisoners when Caraway could probably send more over and take us down."

"…Yeah, that's possible. I just can't believe Esthar is on _our_ side."

"A kidnapping isn't good. One wouldn't call that a partnership. What if the headmaster gave something up in order for Esthar to cooperate with us?"

"…I really hope not. After all our hard work and dedication, he'd hand over something that's _ours_? I…don't think I'd be able to handle that." She sighed, "Xu, I think I'm going to lie down for a little while. You don't mind, do you?"

"No, go right on ahead, but remember to keep your lips sealed."

"As tight as glue."

"Glue can be pealed apart!"

"Okay, super glue and you know what Super Glue does if it were to dry on skin."

"_Tears_ it to pieces…"

"…I think I'll…I just won't tell anyone."

"You better, or I'll tear _you_ to pieces!"

"I figured." Quistis said as she stood from the table and quickly made her way out from the angry woman. Xu rested her head on the table and sighed deeply. She wondered if it were a good idea to tell Quistis, but an even greater idea to break her word to Headmaster Cid. Then again, he broke his word and made an action without first speaking with her. Even though she had no power to stop him, it would have been better if she were there to talk with him before he made that choice.

"…What am I going to do?" She said and closed her eyes.

Quistis leaned against the elevator's wall, as her ride seemed to take forever. She was suspicious of Rinoa and wanted to punish her for being Galbadian, but that was in the past. Rinoa acted with her heart and protected one of her allies, something Quistis really admired about her now. She admitted to herself that Rinoa did something she couldn't do, and probably would never do. She risked her life to protect that of another. The girl was bold and acted without thinking; at least, that's how Quistis felt. There was no way she deserved to be kidnapped and handled like some criminal.

But what could she do? There was nothing _to_ do. Rinoa would be kidnapped and only God knows what would happen after that. The elevator's bell sounded when she reached the first floor, and the doors pealed open. Quistis stepped out of the elevator and walked slowly as she approached the steps. With every step she thought of the possibilities until one stood out from the rest of her thoughts.

_Of course, Squall should know about this. Maybe he could do something to stop the Headmaster's Plan._ _Is that a good idea? I just promised Xu I wouldn't tell…but Xu broke her promise to Cid. I don't know…maybe he should know… Come on, Quistis. Think! …But then something is telling me to wait. I can't wait that much longer. Rinoa could be snatched away for good. How can the Headmaster order something as huge as this! He's insane!_

* * *

The train ride from Balamb to Timber went smoothly. Rinoa was relieved that the trains were operating once again. She learned from another passenger that there was a car blocking the tunnel for sometime recently. It was strange to learn that the car was a Galbadian Vehicle, but Rinoa had given up thinking about the vehicles. It was because of those things that Angelo went missing on the fields. Rinoa had rested her head against the window and closed her eyes when she thought about Angelo.

Upon arriving in Timber, she noticed that the bodies were carefully placed in separate graves dug by the survivors. Gloom still lingered over Timber, but at least the children were playing again.

She smiled when she watched a little girl play with a tiny brown kitten that seemed to enjoy her company as well.

"Miss, we only have two car choices due to the bombings that occurred recently." The Rent-a-Car merchant said to the eager young woman.

"…Okay, I'll take the blue one." Rinoa pointed to the blue car that seemed to be in obvious better condition than the other car.

"That'll be three thousand gil, ma'am."

Rinoa paid the merchant and received a key to the old dirty car. It wasn't much, but it would most likely get her to Deling City. She purchased two fuel cans for the road and placed them into the car. She was all set to go.

As she left Timber, she silently said her goodbyes to her friends. She was careful not to look back at the grave sight again or her emotions would overtake her being. She drove onto the road that would take her all the way to Deling City.

* * *

Moments after her journey began, she saw a large object in the distance. It was up ahead and to her left, there was no way one could miss its massiveness. She pushed the gas pedal down harder and ignored the strange object.

Rinoa glanced at the vehicle once more and swore her eyes were playing tricks on her, but when she saw the headlights and the dust forming from behind it's tires, she knew that huge 'thing' was headed directly to her.

"What in the world is that?" She said softly underneath her breath. She heard its engine roaring as it gained speed and was headed for a direct collision with her.

She turned off the main road and drove quickly across the rough terrain to escape the large shuttle van, but it gained in speed and made its way directly behind her.

She swerved to the left, and saw that she had shaken if off for a mere second. She pretended to swerve to the right, but steered her car to the left quickly, and made a quick donut spin. The vehicle couldn't keep up with her and spun out of control.

Excited with her victory, Rinoa drove her car away from the vehicle, but as she began to cheer, two more vehicles similar to the other that had just chased her, were up ahead and on both sides to block her path.

"NO!" She yelled and slowed down the car. When the men stepped out of the vehicle in a strange flashy uniform, she rubbed her eyes in disbelief. "Are those Estharian uniforms?"

"Ms. Caraway!" One man yelled as he approached her car slowly.

"…Yes?"

"Ma'am, you must come with us. We will not harm you, but please do not ask us any questions."

"…But why?"

"We'll try to explain later, but for the time being, would you come with us?"

"…Um, sure." _As if I really have a choice here…_

"That was really something, you gave us quite the run back there." Rinoa could swear the soldier was smiling at that moment.

"…You mean you were driving that other vehicle?"

"Yes, but since we're familiar with this land, we found a short cut and blocked your path." Yes, he was obviously smiling confidently now. Rinoa sighed in relief when she realized these soldiers hadn't meant any harm.

"…Can you really blame me for getting scared? I mean, you don't just charge that big thing into the path of people's cars like that!"

The soldier had to laugh at her, "Forgive us, it's been so long since we've been _this_ active. I guess we were eager to have you."

"…I suppose."

"Please, Ma'am, this way."

Rinoa was 'kidnapped' and forced to ride in the same vehicle that could have taken her life just a few moments ago. She sat in the back of the car and looked at the floor. There weren't any windows, and the interior consisted of hard seats covered in cloth that were built for war; seats that commanded soldiers and kept the attitude of not wanting a soldier to get to comfortable in his seat, otherwise he would never charge out on the field. There wasn't much to look at, except a few other soldiers that were silent and facing forward.

She began to wonder where they were taking her. _How in the world did Esthar get all the way over here to kidnap **me**? _She looked at her hands and clasped them together in her lap. _Why in the world are they targeting **me**? Squall, it looks like for once, you won't be able to help me. _She looked at the floor and sighed._ …I wonder what he's dreaming about right now? Hmm…at least he can sleep soundly now. Still, a coma is the worst form of sleep. Come on Rinoa, you said you wouldn't think about his condition right now. …But really, what else is there to do?_

She faced forward just like the soldiers were. Wherever they were going, wherever they were taking her, was now her main concern.

* * *

Squall had gone to the cafeteria and eaten before he headed back to his room. His back still ached, but it wasn't as bad as it had been that morning. He lied across his bed and embraced a pillow while closing his eyes.

Without her, there wasn't much else to do. Usually, he'd have to spend the entire day trying to get _away_ from her, but now that she was gone…he wondered what was so important that made him push her away. Squall was obviously bored without her. He could always make an activity to keep his mind off of her, but he just didn't have it in him to do anything else.

He thought back to their first encounter, the night they _really_ met, the journey to Dollet, the boat ride, to arriving and staying in Balamb: Every memory he had of her, she was smiling, unless it involved him hurting her, whether it were physically or emotionally. He noticed that she would talk to him even after he gave her the cold shoulder. So many people would have given up and left him alone, but Rinoa, she continued to be there for him.

Her smile was permanently etched into his memory. He knew every crease and curve it formed. Her brown eyes usually lit up brightly whenever she laughed really hard, and her laughter was wonderful. Not some hideous horselaugh like some women have whenever they laughed beyond their limits, but a peaceful laughter. He never realized a person could make such a heavenly sound.

He remembered when they were both on the ground, wounded and unable to move very much, and she smiled to him. They were both dying and yet Rinoa had enough energy to smile. She was careless and had tossed herself in his way to protect him. That was why he couldn't let her die, and that was why he cured her so quickly after discovering she was shot as well.

She would throw _herself _before someone as insignificant as he to take in the attack? All those times he had treated her so unfairly, and yet she saved his life whilst risking her own. He felt his heart racing again, but this time he allowed it to continue. There wasn't anything he could do about his heart's pace, seeing that Rinoa was the cause of its rhythmic patterns; he knew he would end up thinking about her again. Squall closed his eyes and tightened his arms around the pillow. _Rinoa…_

* * *


	16. Spontaneity

_**Clash of the Gardens**_

_**

* * *

**__**Spontaneity**_

* * *

****

Cid Kramer sat and stared at his desk phone. He wondered if he had done the right thing by contacting Esthar for this operation. What if they accidentally killed the young woman? Who then would be placed with the blame? Esthar? Him? Regardless of who took the blame, the war would _never_ be over. He realized now that his plan was meaningless and a waste of time. For once, he made the wrong move in his chess game of life.

Looking at the phone, he sighed and picked up the charger. He contacted the Estharian Soldiers who were responsible for Rinoa's capture. After a few rings, a soldier picked up and answered, "Yes?" The soldier knew well who would call. He was expectant of Cid Kramer to contact him sometime soon.

"Is she with you all?"

"Yes, sir."

"Good, protect her and take her to speak with her father."

"Sorry, sir, she's already unconscious-"

"What? Why is she unconscious? What have you done to her?" The old man rumbled.

"She's asleep, sorry about that."

"Ah…" The old man felt his heart settle. "Where have you taken her?"

"I'm not in title to disclose that information to you, sir."

"Yes you are. Are you forgetting that I was the one who proposed this plan?"

"I'm well aware of your position, but I cannot tell you where we've brought Ms. Heartilly, I'm really sorry."

_Even though we know her true identity, she still uses that last name. Does she really hate him so? _"…We'll just see about that. Just remember to keep safe watch over her and protect her from Galbadia."

"Of course."

The lines were terminated, but Cid still had his phone in hand as he began to call Esthar's Presidential Residence. After a few moments of waiting, he was speaking with a woman.

"Hello."

"Yes, this is Headmaster Cid Kramer of Balamb Garden, could you redirect me to the President's office?"

"Oh, it must be important, right away sir."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Cid was put on hold for five minutes and was beginning to enjoy the light melody that played throughout the entire wait. Before Cid began to hum the song, the voice of a male leapt into his ear. The old man almost jumped from his seat when he realized that the President was speaking to him. "Hello?"

"Oh yes, uh…Hello, President Loire."

"Please, its Laguna, Mr. Kramer."

"Ah, thank you."

"Don't worry about it. How can I help you?"

"…There have been many problems here between the Garden Bases and the Galbadian Military. There was a war recently, but I do believe it is far from over-"

"There was a _war_?"

"Uh…yeah-"

"When?"

"Sir, with all due respect, didn't you know about the war?"

"No."

"_No one_ informed you that there was a war erupting between the Central and Western Continents?"

"Nope." He was silent for a second, "Oh, yeah, that's right…I heard there was a _little_ disturbance, but nothing major."

_What! Are you seriously joking! _Cid wanted to shout into the phone, but kept himself calm. "…I assure you, the disturbance _was_ major, indeed."

Cid began to explain to him the cause of war and the outcome, and Laguna sounded as if he really had no clue this was taking place. "It came to my attention that Ms. Caraway was in danger of her father. A few of your soldiers have her in their custody. I hired them as extra protection because my forces are in no shape to take on this task. They wouldn't have been able to properly look after her with all the chaos in the Garden corrupting as we speak."

"I see. I'm glad that you've brought this to my attention. I believe the man you spoke with before, the person who aided you, is my Advisor, Dr. Odine. He usually handles most of the cases with our battles…"

_So that's who was in charged over there… _Cid thought has sat back in his chair.

"Hmm, this is really something. I had no idea all those people were dying, nor did I know of the wars. Headmaster Kramer, if you wouldn't mind, I'd like to see Balamb Garden with my own eyes. I want to help out as much as I can. …I'm going to let them tell Ms. Caraway what's happening now so that she isn't left in the dark about why she was kidnapped, but I won't allow those soldiers to move from that spot. I'll see to it that this war is settled immediately and peacefully."

"Loire _that_ would be wonderful. Very well. I will send for some of my SeeDs to escort you all to Garden once you've reached Balamb City."

"Excellent."

"Have a safe trip."

"Will do. Good day, Mr. Kramer."

"Good day." …_A good day,_ _indeed._ Cid mentally told himself and sighed in deep relief as he hung up the phone. The old man had chuckled to himself at his desk.

* * *

Quistis had been walking back and forth up the hallways in the Dormitory Hall. She didn't know what to say to him, or how to say it. In her mind, she kept rephrasing her sentences and adding drama to each example. She remained walking the halls, unsatisfied of how she could speak to Squall. Xu saw her and walked toward her, "Quistis, what are you doing here?"

"Me? Oh…N-nothing."

"…You're thinking about telling him, aren't you?"

"…I keep thinking, but I don't think I'll actually be able to do it."

"That's good, because I told you not to tell a soul!"

"I know!"

Squall was on his way out, tired of having scenes from the war replay in his mind again and again, when he overheard two female voices from the down hall. He wasn't sure why, but something told him that he should listen to their conversation; so there he stood in the doorway, eavesdropping.

"This is really serious, Xu. I refuse to stand by and do nothing when I know that someone has just been _kidnapped_! And then by Esthar! This is just _great_!"

"Keep your voice down! Its bad enough that I told you, I don't need you announcing it to whole Garden now."

"I'm sorry…but I wish I could do something for her. Rinoa…"

_Rinoa!_ Squall thought as he listened to the two talking. _Rinoa wasn't kidnapped, was she? She left to see her father…_ When his thoughts quieted, he noticed that two women were gone from the hall. _I can't believe this. Why can't she ever just stay out of trouble! That little whiner can't even look after herself. No wonder I couldn't get her out of my mind, I knew something was going to happen to her. _

Squall grabbed his coat and his Revolver from the wall, and headed out. He quickly walked to the Parking Lot. _Oh great, she took the rental car…I guess I have no choice but to use a Garden Vehicle; the hideous green piece of crap over there with the big oil stain beneath it, just looking at that car gives me the creeps. _

After he got inside, Squall quickly started the engine and hastily drove from the Garden's Parking lot.

* * *

Xu and Quistis had just began to walk around the loop of the Garden's main hall and hadn't noticed Squall rush behind them to the Parking Lot, "So, you can relax because Rinoa's safe where she is, wherever she is."

"Are you serious?"  
"Yes. As soon as Cid told me, I knew I had to come out and find you." Xu said while looking from the Fish statue, which spat water from its mouth that flowed into the rest of the running water surrounding the loop of the hall, and back to Quistis. They were near the cafeteria now and she had begun to feel hungry, "Want to stop at the Cafeteria?"

"Not quite. I'm still trying to let my mind absorb all that information you just gave me. …So you're telling me that she's being taken care of by Esthar soldiers, and that they will protect her from Caraway?"

"For the fifth time, Quistis, yes. Now, do you want to stop at the cafeteria?"

"Xu…"

"Yes?"

"You do realize that I just shouted out loud about Rinoa being kidnapped back there in the dormitory hallway, don't you?"

"Yes I do."

"…What if Squall was in his room?"

"That's ridiculous Quistis, we both know that Squall loves that training center more than anything. My guess is that he's training there."

"I…I hope you're right. Yeah…I'm just overacting."

"Now…let's get something to eat."

"No thanks, I'm really not in the mood to eat right now."

"Fine, go ahead and see for yourself. Squall's in the training center, and that's a fact."  
"You don't know that for sure."

"Well then why don't you go find out just where he is?"

"I will if you let me."

Xu laughed and walked to the cafeteria, and Quistis chuckled as she headed back to the dormitory.

When Quistis reached his door, she knocked calmly and waited for his respond, but there was nothing. She knocked again and waited, but still nothing came from within his room. She sighed and leaned on the door, "Good…he's in the training center." She laughed softly and leaned her back against his door. "…The Training Center…but what if he's not there? What if…he really heard me talking and has left? No, no, he didn't hear anything. He's in this Garden somewhere. I'll find him somehow."

* * *

Rinoa sat in a wooden chair and leaned her elbows on an old wooden table. She was in a cabin of a small town that seemed to be trapped in the timeline. Winhill was a small peaceful place, and there were flowers blooming in the fields right outside the towns. The soldiers had to push her inside of the cabin in order to get her to walk, for her eyes were glued to the things around.

It was no wonder there weren't any complaints from Winhill in the old files her father had in his desk; over the years, Esthar's forces secretly protected Winhill. She had wondered as a kid, why so many soldiers had left the army when they were sent to raid Winhill from time to time. Most of them came back to Deling City and whined to her father about there being apparitions guarding Winhill. Of course, her father laughed at them and ordered that they patrol other places instead of Winhill because had he released them, Deling would have fired him as well.

Rinoa felt like a kid inside the cabin, wanting to go outside but not being able to because the adults said so. She pouted and sat back in her chair.

"Yes sir. Right away." The soldier immediately hung up the phone and looked back to his comrades. He whispered inaudibly and then they all turned to her quickly. She was nervous, and unsure what was on their minds.

"Ms. Heartilly." Rinoa was secretly glad she told them her name, they were calling her 'Caraway' too much and she couldn't take it any longer. "We have been asked by the President of Esthar to inform you as to why you have been…err…kidnapped."

Rinoa smiled and readied her ears as the soldier began to continue.

"Headmaster Cid wanted to help you so badly that he asked us to look after you. We're going to accompany you to Galbadia to speak with your father. If anything should happen, he needed us to protect you and Balamb Garden."

"…I thought I told him that my father won't do anything to harm me."

"It's not just about you, Ms. Heartilly. Kramer needs us to protect Balamb as well. You see, Caraway could send for you and get you out of there. With you gone, it would be easier to annihilate everyone else in Balamb Garden."

"…Oh…I didn't see it that way." She clasped her hands together on the table and studied them. _Why didn't he just tell me that from the beginning?_

"He realized after we had taken you with us, that the kidnapping was a bad idea. It would probably provoke Caraway _to_ strike our forces and Balamb. He has already taken the blame about coming up with this plan."

"I see."

"We're going to contact him now. Do you wish to speak with him?"

"…Um, Yes please. I have a few questions of my own."

"Alright. Just one moment." The soldier picked up the phone and dialed up Balamb Garden. Cid answered on the second ring.

"Cid Kramer."

"Sir, we've fully informed Ms. Heartilly about the current situation. Please, she has some questions for you."

"_Well, not for him…actually, I'd like to speak with Doctor--"_ Rinoa said in the background as Cid could hear, and then a few voices argued followed by, "Hello, _Sir_." Rinoa said into the speaker while giving the soldiers her 'evil eyes' glare.

"Rinoa, I'm glad you're okay. I'm really sorry to have put you through all this danger."

"Not at all, it wasn't _that_ much trouble." She smiled, "I really understand why you made the decision, so please don't feel guilty about your actions."

"…I'm relieved to hear you say that. Also…about your father." The headmaster took a deep breath and spoke truth to Rinoa, "…I know all this may be hard to bear with, but never banish your father from your life. Although he may seem terrible right now, someday you'll understand clearly how he feels about you."

"…Um…Th-thanks I guess." _Why is he taking Caraway's side now?_

"I'm just telling you that because…well…you should appreciate the fact that you still have a father amongst the living. Most of the people at Balamb Garden don't have any parents, family, or friends to talk to. Take Squall for example…he was orphaned and left for dead, but was brought here by some unknown persons and abandoned. You don't know what he'd give to have a father in his life…so please, just give General Caraway a chance."

Finally, she accepted the man's thoughtful words. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

Rinoa sighed as she hung up the phone. _I know I have to forgive him sometime in my life, but right now, I'm just not ready. I have too many other things going on right now, and that is just going to ruin everything like he did when I was little. _

…_Squall, when are you going to wake up?_

* * *

Squall finally saw Balamb up ahead, and he drove quickly down the road. The Garden Vehicle had to have pushed up to one hundred miles per hour, because everything around him seemed to be in a blur.

Suddenly, there was a brown object to dart into the road, causing Squall to swerve to the side a little. He stopped the car and looked at the canine as she ran through the fields on the plains.

"Angelo!"

The dog stopped and looked back at him while barking. She ran back as she saw him getting out of the car. Angelo jumped up and placed her paws on his thighs while whining. He looked at her and smirked. "No, I haven't seen Rinoa either, but I'm looking for her right now. Want to go with me?"

She barked and dropped her paws back to the ground. Angelo ran and jumped into the car and sat on the passenger's seat. Squall felt himself wanting to laugh, but suppressed the urge and joined Angelo in the car. Squall and his passenger made their way to Balamb City.

As Squall parked the car, Angelo had been barking again. "Yeah, I know. I won't leave you in here by yourself. Let's go." He said while opening the door. He stepped out of the vehicle and watched Angelo jump down from the driver's seat. He and the canine walked to the Train Station, but came across a "No Pets Allowed" sign. He looked down at Angelo and then back to the sign again; he smirked.

"Wait here, Angelo." Angelo sat down and watched Squall walk to a man wearing a blue uniform. Squall purchased a ticket and walked to the train. Before he stepped on the train, he turned to Angelo, and whistled. Angelo ran to the Train just as soon as he whistled for her to follow. The man looked at the dog and held up his hands in defense thinking that the dog was coming to attack him. "Hey! Hey, Animals are not allowed on the--" Just as he was speaking, Squall had cast a stop spell on him.

"I'm really sorry about this." Squall said as he turned around to get on the Train. "ALL ABOARD!" He yelled and ran on to follow Angelo, who had already made herself comfortable in the corner of the first car. The doors closed automatically, and the Train began to move. After the exhaust released, the loud roar of the Train's sounded as it began the journey to Timber. Squall looked at Angelo and smiled. He opened the door to the other rooms with his ticket, and allowed Angelo to jump onto the couch.

There she yawned and snuggled into a ball on the soft sofa, as the train took its familiar decent below the sea.

_I wonder how long she had been running out there. She must be exhausted. Well, I guess I'm not the only one searching for Rinoa._

* * *

Although Squall was searching for Rinoa, Quistis had been searching for Squall. She had run around the Garden for so long, that there was a little search party forming. Zell was the first to join, saying that he was already in the Training Center, and hadn't seen Squall. Quistis checked the Training Center just to be sure, and then again she checked, just to be _sure_ that she was _sure_. Zell shook his head and decided to tag along with her, to make certain there wasn't anymore double-checking by the same person.

The two eventually came across Selphie, who was mesmerized by the Quad area. She joined them in Quistis' frantic search for Squall, but hadn't thought seriously about the situation. Selphie ran around with them smiling as if she were playing a game of hide and seek.

And last but not least, Irvine was the last to join them. He was on his way inside the Garden through the main entrance. Irvine, along with other volunteers, was asked to collect the bodies of the fallen from the Alcauld plains. When he came inside, he hadn't expected to be greeted by Quistis' eagerness for answers.

"Whoa, Whoa! Take it easy, Miss!"

"It's Quistis! Tell me! I know you saw him leave, you were working out there, weren't you?"

"Yeah, I was outside all day today, but I don't remember seeing anyone. So like, I know there were two or three vehicles that drove passed, but I don't know who was driving any of them."

"Aha!" Quistis yelled and turned around. She was heading to the Parking Lot. Selphie looked at both Irvine and Zell, and laughed.

"Zell, why didn't you tell me Quistis could be so much fun! When I first got here, you had me thinking she was some kind of drone!" She said and ran behind Quistis. Zell scratched his head and looked at Irvine, who was just as clueless as he was.

"Don't look at me. I just came got here." Irvine held up his hands defensively.

"…Geez, she hasn't even told me _why_ we're looking for Squall."

"…I'm curious, I'm going to go see what's up."

"But!" Before Zell could speak, Irvine was running behind the petite figured who had just disappeared into the corridor of the Parking lot. "Ah, forget it. Wait up!" He yelled and followed the three of them.

* * *

The Estharian Airship landed smoothly before the city of Balamb. The stairs descended onto the ground and became steady. The President and his Aides stepped down each stair slowly.

"Laguna, I think we really could have landed _near_ Balamb Garden…this is be a waste of time." A skinny dark-skinned man said as he walked toward Balamb's entrance.

"Waste of time? Balamb has some of the finest hotels, and I've always wanted to stay in at least one of them." Laguna smiled.

A bigger man sighed and folded his arms, "… We have no time to visit hotels. Sir, I do believe there are bigger issues at hand here."

"Will you two relax? I had the Headmaster of Balamb Garden send us Escorts, so we have plenty of time to sit back."

"…You're using this trip to get away from Mr. Odine, aren't you?" The skinnier man said with a sigh.

"…Well…it doesn't need to be said so harshly, but his constant 'I told you so' was starting to get to me. So Kiros and Ward, please don't bother me about the plan just yet. I need to breathe a little."

The two men sighed and walked beside their President into Balamb City. Suddenly, they were stopped by a car horn near by. When the three of them turned around, they saw Balamb Garden's vehicle and a young SeeD standing from the car's opened door.

"Mr. President, sir, it is my duty to escort you to Balamb Garden!"

"…Well…there goes _our_ fun." Laguna groaned and walked to the young man with an extended hand. With a forced smile present, he shook the SeeDs' hand and introduced his Aides. They too returned the gesture, and moments later, all were riding in the back of the SeeD vehicle in silence. Laguna sighed occasionally and put his head onto his hand. _The sooner we get to Balamb, the sooner we'll have to leave…_He thought to himself and sighed again. The others had grown accustomed to his sighs and ignored him completely. _Soon. _Laguna thought as he sighed once more.

* * *


	17. Bond

_**Clash of the Gardens**_

* * *

_****__**Bond**_

* * *

Squall and Angelo's train had arrived in Timber. Once the doors opened, he and Angelo took off running to avoid the harassment of the employees. Angelo ran before him with her tongue hanging from her mouth and seemed to know how to navigate through the broken city. He was amazed that the canine had led them straight out of town.

When she stopped, she began sniffing the ground as if picking up Rinoa's scent. Angelo barked and ran up the road ahead. Squall watched her and continued to follow without question. It seemed to help that he brought the dog along after all, who knows where he would have wind up had it not been for Angelo.

The more he ran, the more he could see a figure in the distance. Angelo was halfway there and barking. Squall's heart raced as he saw that it was a car. _Oh, no! Rinoa! _

Angelo stopped and jumped into the car. She was sniffing the seats, as it was obvious that Rinoa had once occupied it. She could sense Rinoa all around, but her companion was nowhere to be found. When Squall made it to her, Angelo barked and jumped through the opened window of the car. To Squall's relief, a lifeless body was not left inside the car by the kidnappers. He caught his breath and put his hands on his hips while staring at the ground.

At that instant, a light breeze passed over the lands and Angelo sniffed the air. Squall quizzically asked her, "What is it? Can you pick her scent again?"

Angelo howled and followed the new scent of Rinoa. Squall looked at the car and quickly got inside. Rinoa had left the keys in the ignition, which he was thankful for, and he started the engine immediately. He drove beside Angelo and whistled to her. The dog looked at him, as he slowed the car, and timed it enough to pick up speed and jump through the window. With her powerful hind legs, she boosted herself from the ground and was able to soar through the opened window of the blue car.

Squall laughed and drove menacingly faster as Angelo stuck her head out of the window, barking, calling out to her owner and friend. The man and the canine continued their journey to find the one that each cherished and missed.

* * *

With one search proving successful, the other was only a nightmare. Just as Quistis had suspected, two of the Garden Vehicles were missing. _Squall and Rinoa, I bet they both took those cars. I knew it! Headmaster Cid has to know about this immediately. If Squall gets to those soldiers, who knows what will happen?_

Selphie looked at Quistis and waited for the woman to speak her mind. "Um…Quistis, why is it so important that we find Squall, anyway?"

"_Thank_ you!" Zell shouted as he caught his breath on the ground. That question had been bugging him the entire time they were searching for Squall.

"…I'm sorry you all, but could you come with me to see the headmaster. I'll explain everything up there."

"…Okay." They each said and watched as she left walked passed them and back to the Main Hall.

"Actually…there were two Garden vehicles that left here today, and the third car that left earlier today, it looked different from the other two, almost like a modern car." Irvine said and Selphie looked at him, then to Zell.

"Zell, you think Rinoa took the car we rented days ago?"

"Most likely, so that means Squall took a Garden vehicle to Balamb, then."

"Yep, yep."

"Hey, what's your name?" Irvine asked the petite woman.

"Me? I'm Selphie, and you?"

"Irvine."

"It's nice to meet you. I've really heard _a lot _about you!"

"Oh really, from who…the girls?"

"Huh?"

"_Irvine!_ Come on you two, Quistis said we have to be upstairs."

"Oh yeah, let's go." Selphie said and ran. Zell and Irvine followed behind.

Quistis waited patiently for them by the elevator. She saw Selphie running up the stairs, and the boys were not too far behind either.

* * *

The four of them got into the elevator and Quistis pressed the button that would take them to the third floor.

"Wow, I didn't realize this place had an elevator." Irvine said.

"You mean you haven't been upstairs?" Zell asked.

"No. I'm more familiar with everything downstairs because I haven't been allowed to go up."

"Hey, why are you with us right now? We could each get thrown out of Balamb for disrespecting the rules." Quistis said, but the elevator door opened and Irvine ran out. Selphie held her mouth and laughed.

"You asked me to accompany you to see your headmaster, didn't you?"

He said with a smile that Quistis completely ignored and walked around him.

"Please don't say another word." She said and walked down the long hallway to the headmaster's room.

With a knock on the door, the headmaster stood from his desk, thinking it was the President.

"Please come inside." He said, and Quistis and the others, entered inside the room slowly. "Oh…everyone, hello."

"Hi." They answered in unison.

"Sir, I'm afraid I have terrible news. Squall knows that Rinoa was kidnapped, and he is no where to be found at this moment!"

"What!" Cid, Zell, Selphie, and Irvine all said together.

"What do you mean, Quistis? How did he find out?"

"Sir…"

"…No…" Was all he could say before Xu entered the room with a smile.

"Sir, President Loire of Esthar has just arrived. He is on his way up now sir."

"Oh no!" Selphie said and looked around the room.

"Not to worry, I want you all to meet him too. Please let's move to the hallway." They followed the headmaster and awaited the man who would bring thing all peace; unfortunately for them, Squall was on the verge of ruining the newly formed bond of peace between Esthar and Balamb.

Everyone nervously exchanged glances to one another, and Xu was lost in the midst of them all. No one dared to mention anything when the doors of the elevator opened and out stepped the Presidents and his Aides.

* * *

Squall pulled the car over when he saw a small town ahead in the endless flower fields. He saw old houses that were made of wood and a few structures that could have been used as stores. He looked around again and saw that Angelo was waiting for him to speak to her.

"…She must not be here." He said and Angelo whined. He looked at her big eyes and sighed, "…We'll take a quick look around." He said and started toward the trail of the old town. _I wonder what this place is…it looks very old fashioned. _He looked at the buildings and saw way out away from the town was a graveyard.

"…What if…?" He whispered as he decided to head to the graveyard. Angelo followed behind and watched her new partner step into the soft grass.

There were tombstones lined up in a row. Because the town was so small, there were under twenty-five graves. Squall looked at each and studied the name. His eyes were caught when he saw a familiar name, "Kinneas…Ernest Kinneas." He whispered. And he let his eyes shift to the side of Kinneas' Tomb, and his eyes began to burn. There it was…blaring in truth…_Raine Leonhart._

_Raine Leonhart_

_Mother of Winhill_

_May She Rest_

_Peacefully, Forever._

"Raine…Leonhart." Squall whispered and touched the tomb. "…Mom?" He placed his hands on the ground and rubbed the earth, for underneath all the dirt, his mother lay in rest. He felt the urge to cry, but a smile possessed his mouth. "Well I'll be damned, Irvine was telling the truth after all…"

Squall felt himself smiling harder now, and he began to chuckle. He laughed softly and stood to his feet. The wind had begun to blow violently as he laughed, and he laughed a little harder.

Suddenly, Angelo began barking and she ran away from him. Squall looked at her as his laughter came to an end. He quickly followed after the dog curious to watch she might find in the isolated town.

"Winhill." He said underneath his breath while running behind Angelo.

* * *

When he followed Angelo, Angelo had led him to an area that seemed to resemble a town square. All the houses from this point were closer together than the others he had seen upon arriving in Winhill.

Angelo was farther up than he, but he saw some soldiers stepping out of a house and the dog was heading directly to them while barking.

"Angelo!" He said while drawing his gunblade, but to his surprise, Rinoa had run out of the house after the soldiers, and called out to Angelo just as he did. She ran to her best friend and embraced her quickly. Squall stopped and looked at her.

"Angelo!" He could hear her scream as she cuddled with the dog on the ground. "Where did you come from!" He heard her speak, and decided to put his gunblade away. If she were in any real danger, those soldiers wouldn't have allowed her to interact with the dog.

Angelo barked as Rinoa released her and stood to her own feet. Angelo barked excitedly and ran around in a little circle as if chasing her tail, and Rinoa laughed. The dog barked again and faced Squall, she barked at him, and when Rinoa's eyes saw the person Angelo was barking at, she nearly melted in her skin. "…Squall." She said underneath her breath. "…You're awake." She saw him approaching her slowly, but could not bring herself to walk. When he finally reached her, Rinoa smiled and walked closer to him. "Squall…you're…here."

"…Yeah."

"But…I thought you were…"

"…In a coma?" He said, and she smiled, only able to nod her head. He returned her smile as he shook his head. "Rinoa…I heard you."

"…You did?" He nodded his head once.

"Every last word…"

Rinoa's heart raced within her chest, and all of her blood rushed to her face. She moved her hands up to hide her red cheeks. Squall saw her face and moved his hand to her necklace, and touched his Griever ring. "Squall, I was going to give it back to you." She said in a whisper as her hands dropped from her face. Softly, he grabbed the rings and pulled her by the necklace, closer to him. As he neared her face, Rinoa closed her eyes. He stopped when their lips were only inches away from contact, and moved his face so he was cheek to cheek with her, and spoke softly into her ear.

"You really believe I came all this way …_only_ to get my ring back?"

Rinoa was speechless and her heart pounded in her chest, she threw her arms around his shoulders and allowed him to envelope her body with his.

The two stood in an embrace, and ignored the world around them. Funny how quiet his mind became when he was with her, but all day, he had been bugged by thoughts of the war, death, and other people's lives; however, as he stood with her, his mind was at true peace. Squall felt his heart's pace quicken as he pulled her closer to his body. And he replayed her words, the promise she had made that morning.

"…_Whenever you wake up, and I'm not here…please don't think that I've abandoned you just like everyone else did. I have a reason to leave, and if you want, I'll come back to you."_

To hear someone tell him they wouldn't leave him, that they wanted to be there with him, made Squall feel an immense amount of emotion whirl about his being which he wasn't used to.

Rinoa held onto him and smiled. Her eyes were sparkling with tears, but she wouldn't let him know she was about to cry. _Is this the same person? _She thought to herself and rubbed her head onto his chest.

Just as the two were comfortably embracing one another, the soldiers and Angelo were on the side watching. One soldier cleared his throat and they quickly let go of one another. Squall scratched the back of his head and looked at the ground, and Rinoa turned around and smiled. "Sorry." She said.

"_If_ you two are _done_-"

"Whatever." Squall said and turned away, clearly embarrassed, and Rinoa could only laugh. _Yep, Squall will always be Squall. _

"Ma'am, we have to get you to Deling City before night fall. Caraway is probably becoming suspicious because of your delay."

"There's no doubt in my mind about that."

"Headmaster Cid has _just_ contacted us and warned us about a SeeD on his way to take back Ms. Heartilly.-" A Soldier said as he ran from the house and out to the others.

"Cid!" Squall said and turned around to face the soldier. "He _knows_ about this?"

"Yes." The Captain responded and Rinoa looked back at Squall.

"Cid was behind my kidnapping, but all is well now." She said confidently.

"…And they had me worried about you-" Squall was speaking aloud but he had meant to speak mentally to himself. Rinoa stood there smiling at him again as he had gone into his own little world. When he saw that she was looking at him, he looked away embarrassingly.

"What were you saying, Squall?" She teased, but Squall had folded his arms and sighed. "I'm just kidding." She laughed and covered her mouth.

"Ms. Heartilly, please accompany us to the car." Rinoa's eyes saddened and she looked at Squall. She really didn't want to ride in that vehicle _again. _The ride to Deling City would be a long one, and she wanted to be comfortable. Just riding in the short distance before in one of those vehicles had hurt her bottom terribly. She _refused_ to ride with them again. So her eyes spoke for her, told Squall the entire story about that vehicle, and Squall knew what she wanted to tell him; he understood the silent story told by her eyes.

"I'll take her to Deling City. I don't think Caraway will allow your vehicles inside." He said as he looked from her eyes to the soldier. He had come up with the best excuse possible in order to convince them otherwise.

"No, we must stay with Ms. Heartilly at all times."

"Are you really planning on taking _those_ vehicles to see _Caraway_?" Squall argued.

"If he knows that Rinoa is with us, he'll allow us in-"

"I have an idea! How about I ride with Squall and you all follow behind us?" Rinoa cut in, it was sad that she pretended to have a better idea. The two men looked at each other dumbfounded for a moment before the captain made his face stern once again.

"Absolutely not." The soldier continued.

"Well I won't go, and that's that." Rinoa folded her arms and put her foot down hard.

"Don't make us use force-"

"There won't be _any_ of that." Squall stood between Rinoa and the soldier. Rinoa had a tiny smile across her lips as Squall continued, "Now, she'll ride with me and that's final. …Am I understood?" He glared into the man's eyes, demanding that Rinoa get her way. Finally, he saw that he had won. The soldier nodded his head slowly, and turned to his men.

"Let's move out!" He called out to them and Squall turned to Rinoa with a stern look. She whispered to him, "_Thank you."_

He nodded and smiled slightly. "Let's go." He said and she laughed softly.

"Roger." She said as he ran, and she followed him to the trail where he had left the car. "Angelo!" They both said in unison, and the dog went along with them.

* * *

On the way to Deling City, Rinoa and Squall were both silent. Angelo was in the back seat with her head out of the window and taking in the blowing wind. Rinoa looked back her and smiled at Angelo, and then she looked to her side at Squall, who seemed to take his driving seriously.

He was driving with his left hand on the steering wheel, and his right had rested on his thigh. His face was forward, and his eyes were glued to the road, until Rinoa saw him look at her through the corner of his eye and he sighed. She laughed and faced forward.

"What do you think will happen when we get there?" She asked him.

"…You're panicking again?"

"I can't help it. I haven't seen my dad in years, so I don't know what to expect."

"Don't worry. If he says something that you disagree with, just get up and leave. You don't _have_ to listen to him, Rinoa."

"But if I don't, there won't be any peace." She looked outside at the passing trees and wild animals that roamed the fields. "I feel like I'm right back in that spot I was in before. The weight of the war is once again on my shoulders. I failed before, and now…I feel like I can fail again."

…_like I'm right back in that spot I was in before…_For the first time, he took his eyes off of the road and turned his head to her. "That reminds me of what I had to face out there on the battlefield." He brought his eyes back to the road. "During the previous war, I was…comfortable with my skills. In my mind, I can study the enemy and strategically plan the battle even before I engage in combat with them; therefore, I went through fighting with ease, and was confident in our victory. But…as the battle went on, I grew weary of all the fighting, and then I saw Seifer out there, slaughtering them all without any remorse. I hated him, and yet I watched him take the lives of so many, and did nothing." He sighed, "…And when we all fought a few days ago…He made me remember why I regretted fighting that battle before; however," Squall smiled. "…I was able to overcome my fears and fight him to the very end. And you helped me take him down, too."

She looked at her arm, where her Pinwheel usually would be equipped and smiled. "Yeah." She said.

"Rinoa, I'll be right there with you when you talk to Caraway. Don't think for a second that you're on your own in this." He said without taking his eyes from the road, "You taught me that much…"

"I…I'm glad you were listening."

"I may have sounded annoyed by you at times, but I always listened to what you had to say." Rinoa looked at him and moved her eyes to his free hand. She took his hand into hers and squeezed tightly. He moved his eyes from the road and looked into hers. There was a moment of peace, until Angelo began barking and the two looked forward. The canine had sensed something farther up the road.

* * *

They were in the sight of Deling City, but right before the City were five Armored Vehicles. Squall stopped the car as a few soldiers on land opened fire, aiming directly at its tires. Rinoa screamed and closed her eyes. Suddenly all went quiet, and when Rinoa opened her eyes, she saw that the Estharian Soldiers had driven their vehicles before the car. They used the vehicles as shields and the Captain leapt out, "We come in peace!" He yelled out and threw up a white flag. The gunfire had ceased and Squall stepped out of the car slowly.

"Is Rinoa Caraway accompanying you!" One nervous Galbadian Soldier questioned.

"Yes! She is, now please. Do not fire! I repeat, do not fire!"

Squall reached his hand inside the car and Rinoa grabbed onto it. He gently pulled her out and let her stand to her feet.

"We need conformation that you really have the General's Daughter with you."

"I'm here!" Rinoa yelled from behind the Estharian cars.

"Very well, we'll take her from this point on. There is no need for all of you there." The Galbadian said as he and his comrades approached Esthar's Vehicle.

"What?" She asked and looked at Squall who stood right beside her.

"Come with us, now!" The soldier reached out to yank her by the arm, but Squall smacked his arm down. Immediately their guns went up and took aim at Squall's face. "She goes with us or you die." The soldier threatened.

"NO! I'll go!"

"Rin-"

"I'll go with them, I don't have any other choice. I'll be okay." She took a step forward, but Squall touched her shoulder, and all the guns locked before his face once more. She looked at him, and touched his hand, but turned around and walked with the soldiers.

The others remained pointing their guns directly in Squall's face and at the Estharian Soldiers. Squall watched her climb into the Galbadian Vehicle with the soldiers, and watched it pull away. He was angry that he had been powerless to stop it. And as the car drove away, the Soldiers pulled back their guns and resumed their post at the gates of Deling.

Squall yelled out and kicked the side of the car in a mad fit. Why was he always just standing around _watching _what was happening and never doing anything to prevent? He sighed and leaned against the car's side.

Suddenly an idea came to his mind, and he looked down at Angelo, who had once again watched her owner disappear from her very eyes. He smiled at the dog and whispered, "Stay here, Angelo." And with that, Squall was off to take on the idea that interested him.

* * *

Some Esthar soldiers climbed back into their vehicle and contacted Balamb Garden with a device installed inside their radio.

After a few moments, Cid answered the phone. "Cid Kramer."

"Sir, this is the Estharian Unit. We have successfully brought your daughter to Deling City, and she is now in Galbadia's care."

"Excellent. Did you all have any troubles with the SeeD, Squall Leonhart?"

"…Not really, Sir, although…"

"What is it?"

"Nothing sir."

"Well, did Galbadia give you any trouble?"

"As a matter of fact, they did. From the looks of things, Caraway knew that his daughter had been abducted. He had his soldiers stand in front Deling City and stop all those that approached. They fired their weapons at us, until we told them that Rinoa was with us."

"Is she injured?"

"No, sir."

"What about Leonhart?"

"He's fine."

"Good. Contact me this way if anything new happens."

"Yes, sir."

They terminated the lines and Cid sighed. The President sat before him with a confused look on his face. Cid stared at him quizzically until the man noticed that he was being watched.

"Is something the matter, Laguna?"

"I was just hoping that they all make it back safely." He said as a cover up. The name mentioned during the phone conversation, _Leonhart_, had caught his attention. _Squall Leonhart? Is that some kind of coincidence?_

"Yes, I really hope that everything moves smoothly. I'm tired of the fighting."

"I have to agree. I never enjoy wars."

"…Do you mean that Mr. Odine started the old war between us?"

"He didn't _start_ that war, he was only arguing about the prices. He said the people would have been happier knowing that they were under the protection of us, since we're closer and know them better."

"…Laguna sat back and let Odine make all the calls, actually." Kiros said as he and Ward chuckled.

"I see." Cid sighed, "…I guess, it's good that we can put it behind us now, right?"

"Of course. My duty is to make the people safe and secure. Esthar is a very peaceful place. I only wish the entire world can live like we do."

"Well, we all have our differences. I guess for once we can put them all aside and live in harmony."

"Right." Laguna said.

The two leaders shook hands and never said another word about the old war. But Laguna kept thinking about the name of the SeeD mentioned just a short while ago.

_Who in the world is Squall Leonhart?_


	18. Part 6: Truth

**_Clash of the Gardens_** _**

* * *

**__**Part VI : Truth** _

_**Imperilment **_

* * *

"It's been almost twenty minutes since Rinoa was taken into Galbadia's custody. Please tell your men to remain in their positions, Loire." Cid calmly spoke to the Estharian President.

"They've been trained well, Mr. Kramer. My soldiers always follow my command, but in times of danger, they'll make the best decision."

"_Sir, we have a situation!" _A voice came from the speaker of a radio placed before President Loire's seat. He looked down and pressed a button to begin communication with the voice of the Estharian soldier.

"What is the problem?"

"_We've gathered all our men outside the gates of Deling, but the SeeD is no where to be found, sir. What shall we do?"_

"The SeeD…" He whispered.

"Squall." Cid said and rubbed his forehead.

"Stand by." Laguna said into the speaker and looked back with a sly grin, to Cid who had been standing with the others near the office's exit. "Well…you interrogate me about my men, yet you can't even keep your own to sit still."

"Of course I can, but it's _Leonhart_ who's the problem here."

"What would you like me to do then?" Laguna asked Cid, but Cid placed his hands on his hips and sighed.

"Tell them to remain where they are, and do not inform Galbadia of our current dilemma. I don't want them to know that Squall's missing. He's a skilled SeeD, so I believe he knows what he's doing."

"You think he's gone inside?"

"Without a doubt." The two men became silent.

"…Sir, wouldn't that jeopardize the peace we've gained so far?" Quistis asked the headmaster, breaking the silence.

"…A peace we're not even certain exists." He said in a lowered voice, which forced everyone to avoid eye contact with one another. There was an awkward silence in the room as each individual remained to him or herself.

* * *

After running to the east entrance of Deling City, Squall hid himself amongst the bushy terrain and watched a couple of Galbadian Soldiers standing guard. He was glad that night had almost arrived because the dim light provided him extra cover from the guards.

"…Just how am I supposed to get inside? They've got this place covered from every angle." He slowly looked down at the ground and closed his eyes, "…I'll just have to take them down."

Squall raised his head and took one more look at the soldiers, and then he readied himself for battle. As he stood from the ground, he saw headlights from a vehicle behind light up the pathway. He turned around and saw a few cars pulling into the city. Each car had stopped at the gate and allowed the soldiers to check for I.D. "…You're clear." The soldier announced and stepped back from the cars as they pulled away.

"Tonight's really slacking, isn't it?" He spoke to his comrade.

"Yeah. People are usually flooding in, _just_ to go the bar around this time."

"Hey, speaking of which, we should go there as soon as our shift's over."

"Can't. I have to go home, my wife would kill me if I went out another night without inviting her."

"…_Too_ bad."

"You could at least show a little _concern _for me!"

"Now why would I do that?" He looked over to his partner and saw him stumbling clumsily toward the walls of Deling City.

"You know, I'm feeling." The soldier touched his forehead and smiled, "I'm feeling a bit …sleepy…" He said as he fell facedown on the ground, and the other soldier looked at him quizzically.

"What the…" He knelt down beside his partner, turned him over, and grabbed his shirt, "Hey, what's gotten into you! You can't sleep on the job! We could lose our p-Ugh!" The man had been hit on the back of his head by some unknown force, and quickly fell unconscious.

"…Sorry." Squall said as he ran through the gates of Deling City. As expected, the dazzling lights were blinding his eyes and people were beginning to flood the streets. Not only were there dozens of civilians, but also a number of Galbadian soldiers that were currently on duty. He groaned and looked around for Caraway's Headquarters; however, he made sure to make himself appear harmless and sheathed his gunblade back onto his side.

Because there were many people around, the guards wouldn't have time to look down at anyone and everyone's hips for anything lethal.

Squall scanned the streets of Deling City, but was unable to discover Caraway's location. He did his best to appear less obvious and continued to follow the sidewalks down the busiest intersection.

"…One step at a time." He said to himself as he watched a bus pass him by.

"Woof-woof!" The sound of Angelo's barking was traceable in between the swooshing of the bus' old engine. Squall looked around and saw that up ahead was the mutt running toward him in haste, and behind her were a few Galbadian Soldiers.

Angelo, already originating from Deling City, picked up a very familiar scent, and had sought out to rediscover her home; however, the dog ignored the commands of a few soldiers calling for her to stay. Instead, she had hastily run inside the gate.

"Get back here, dog!" A young soldier cried out behind Angelo, as he was ordered to chase the dog down because of his small and insignificant rank.

"I hate dogs!" He yelled out. "Hey, come back!"

"…Angelo?" Squall questioned while watching the dog running. "I thought I told her to stay!"

When the light signaled the pedestrians to walk across the street, he had hope to walk ahead to try and lose the dog in the crowd; unfortunately, Angelo ran passed him and caused a collision between he and the soldier who followed her.

"I'm sorry, Sir!" The soldier said as he stood from the ground, but when he looked at Squall, his eyes caught a sparkling ray of light from a chain that hang from the handle of what seemed like a weapon. "What are _you_ doing with _that_?" He asked Squall, but Squall stood silent. Without hesitation, the young soldier looked around for his comrades and yelled aloud, "It's the enemy!"

Squall quickly rose from the ground and took out the young soldier before anyone could spot him, but the pedestrians began to scream and run away from him. And shortly after the Galbadian soldiers spotted Squall in the fleeing mass, shots were fired at him. "Take him out!" A soldier posted at the street's corner yelled as he and his comrades grouped together to take down the trifling SeeD.

Squall drew his gunblade and gripped its handle tightly. He ran to the other side of the street and pointed his gunblade back, when he fired off a few rounds before disappearing behind the back alleyway of a restaurant.

He made his way through the alley and ran out quickly, but more soldiers were already headed in his direction. He gritted his teeth together and ran the opposite way to avoid a head on collision, but an even bigger party had gathered.

He stopped and closed his eyes for a second as he began to concentrate for a new battle. _There's no way out of this. It looks like I'm gonna have to fight._

* * *

The Estharian Soldiers had waited patiently outside the walls of Deling City for the return of Rinoa Heartilly and the SeeD. They had pulled the vehicles to the side to avoid the complaints from any angry drivers arriving on the road.

"…How long will this take?"

"It's a meeting, and meetings don't normally end until after two hours."

"Ah…I'm just ready to go now."

"Stop complaining and keep your eyes peeled, you don't know what they could be up to-"

"There's corruption within the city, and Esthar is behind it! Attack them! Shoot to kill!" Some Galbadian shouted after tossing his radio down on the ground. The others quickly aimed their weapons at the Estharian Soldiers and prepared to fire.

"Take cover!" The captain yelled as he dove on the ground to escape the incoming bullets. "What are they doing!"

"That idiot! He got caught!" A soldier shouted from behind the parked vehicle.

"The SeeD!"

"Who _else?_"

"There they are, down there! Move, move, move!"

"Ahh! There's no time! Men, defend yourselves! Let's go!" The captain of the Esthar soldiers shouted and took into his hands his machine gun. The others followed and fired upon Galbadia's forces.

A few soldiers ran toward the vehicles, but were shot down by Galbadia's troops.

"No! Don't get careless! " The captain cried aloud as he fired back at the other soldiers. He saw a few of them fall down from his attack, and he fell back onto the ground for cover.

"Captain, we don't have that many men. It's impossible for us to take on their forces this way."

"Call for back up!"

"Yes, sir!" The soldier saluted as he tried to sneak into the parked vehicle. The captain sat on the ground and growled as he thought about Squall and whatever the guy had been planning to do. _That idiotic kid's going to get us killed! _He sighed and stood from his position, then turned back to the Galbadians who were still firing heavily upon he and his comrades, and then fired back. "We won't lose! Hold them off as long as you can!"

"Sir, yes sir!" The other Esthar soldiers called out to their leader, and continued to fight their best against Galbadia.

* * *

Squall pointed his Revolver's tip to the ground and squeezed the hilt once more.

As the soldiers neared, they drew their weapons also. They ran in a large pack searching for their enemy, when a grand wave of energy suddenly overcame them all. "What was that!" One soldier said as he stopped and looked around at his fallen comrades.

Seeing that his targets were caught off guard, Squall took advantage and charged into the remaining crowd of Galbadian Soldiers. He slashed the first soldier that came into his range and went on to attack the others that followed. As he slashed them, more soldiers seemed to appear. Squall felt his arms getting tired, and the weight of his gunblade became heavier. Fearing that he would lose his focus, he decided to wipe out the entire fleet with one magic spell. He stepped away and held up his gunblade, and the soldiers all mimicked his movement for a moment, as they were uncertain of his next attack. When they each felt a whirling of wind come about from beneath their bodies, they screamed and attempted to run away, but the spell had been cast and they were already in the air.

An officer of higher ranking witnessed his men falling to the ground from some unimaginable height, and crashed into the street, their cries no longer heard; he charged toward Squall in haste and vengeance.

"Stop him!" The captain called to the soldiers under his wing as he ran toward the chaotic scene taking place on the busy streets; of course, the crowd of pedestrians had manage to flee before any serious damage affected them all.

In the midst of all the fighting, Squall happened to spot Angelo running further down the street, he groaned angrily and began to follow her.

He fought off two soldiers who approached him from behind and turned around to run, but when he did so, he saw the hilt of a Galbadian shotgun coming into contact with his face. Before he knew it, he was knocked unconscious, and taken away by the Galbadians.

* * *

"_What do you mean they're attacking!"_ Both Laguna and Cid's voices shouted back through the radio.

"Yes, sirs! The SeeD caused trouble within Deling City, so now they've begun attacking us as well. We may need back up, sir!"

"_Very well. Be careful out there." _Laguna responded to him confidently.

"I will, sir!" The soldier immediately discontinued to conversation and ran back to the captain who was breathing heavily on the ground.

"Captain?"

"I'm not hit! What did he say?"

"They're sending back up!"

"Good! Let's go men, not too much longer now!"

Cid had scratched the back of his head and sighed, "I don't think your backup will make it in time."

"Even so, I'll still have them try."

As the two leaders talked to one another, Quistis, Selphie, Zell, and Irvine had nodded their heads together and Quistis turned away from the group with a brilliant smile.

"Sir, if we may be of any help?"

"…Quistis?"

"I know we'll be able to get to Deling City before Esthar, even if they do have the extensive equipment. Sir, let us handle this."

"Yeah!" The others said in unison.

"…Well, you all are trained for missions like these, so I suppose it isn't a bad idea. But still, this is a very dangerous situation we're in-"

"Sir, with all due respect, we're soldiers and have been so for many years now. There isn't anything we can't handle." She said confidently, and Zell punched his fist into his hand with a delightful smirk. Selphie had winked to Cid and revealed her Nunchaku with a grin of her own. Irvine touched the tip of his hat and bowed his head to the headmaster slowly.

"…Please hurry, and be very careful. You're going to Galbadia's turf. Who knows what kind of tricks are waiting there for you all?"

"Thank you, Headmaster. We'll be on our way now." Quistis said while saluting him, and the others saluted him also which each his own unique salute, then they exited from the office.

Cid turned back to Laguna and nodded to him, "Have you notified for your backups?"

"Yes. I do have high hopes of those people that just left the room, but we aren't sure just how many soldiers are over there. I figure they will need the helping hand also."

"I'm glad you're so concerned for out safety."

"…Mr. Kramer, I'm here to end a war, and put an end to Galbadia. It's about time those innocent people find peace."

"I agree entirely."

* * *

_I hate this place. It's like a maze, and all these weird statues are beginning to freak me out. What does this man want with me? I'm about to lose my mind in here._

Rinoa was led around the mansion by one of Caraway's guard. It seemed the old man had relocated his office over the years, and Rinoa also realized that most of his house had been renovated. She looked down at the floor and sighed heavily, her body taking on the toll of all the events happening so swiftly. It was only natural that she would need a nap at that time.

She stopped walking and touched her forehead, "…I think…I think I should lie down."

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but the General wants to see you right away."

"…Tell the 'General' he will have to wait." As much as she wanted to get the meeting over with, her body felt as if it would shut down. "Please, I need to lie down now. I'll be in my room."

"…But." He said while she turned away from him and headed toward her room. He ran behind her and called out to her. "Ma'am!"

"Look! I don't need a bodyguard to guide me through my own house. I know my way around here, now leave me alone!"

The soldier stopped and gulped nervously, it was best not to get on a woman's angry side, and with that in mind, he left her alone.

Rinoa walked until she reached the stairwell and headed downstairs. Her room was located on the first floor, but all the way to the back of the mansion, and was well hidden from strangers.

As she entered, she took a moment to stop and remember what it felt like to be in her old room. Memories flooded back to her mind, causing her to stumble toward her bed. She took a seat on her bed and lied back, smelling the old scents that remained the same after so many years. To her surprise, the room was left exactly as it had been when she fled that faithful night. Well, it was not _exactly_ like the state she had left it in: someone had come behind her and picked up all the papers she threw on the floor from her dresser while in a mad fit.

Then she looked at her dresser and saw her old jewelry and immature girly gadgets, which she had purposely left behind. It was all the things her father had ever bought for her, and she abandoned them to have him aware that she couldn't be bought into happiness. It was her message to him, and it rang loud and clear. All those gadgets and clothes he would buy her were a waste because he was never actually the one to purchase them for her.

Rinoa was escorted by a maid and a few soldiers, and taken to stores with a card loaded with money privileges once a month where she bought accessories. All she ever wanted was for him to be there with her, showing her a great time; even if it weren't the most perfect day with her father, she still wanted him to be there. Her stomach cringed at the old thoughts and feelings about her dad; she sighed at her unhappy adolescence and closed her eyes once again. She wished only to let the things of the past go, and focus on her present, making things better for the people who deserved everything they might want.

With her mind flowing from topic to topic, she grabbed a pillow and squeezed it tightly in hopes that her worries would ease. _I wonder what kind of plan he has for me? _She embraced her pillow and closed her eyes when she thought about the upcoming date with her father. _Try not to think about it, Rinoa. Just get some rest for a moment or two, besides I'm sure Squall and the others won't mind if I do so… Won't you, Squall?_

* * *

Somewhere deep within Caraway's Headquarters was a small room used to lock inside prisoners that had attacked directly at the mansion in order to take down Galbadia; unfortunately, Squall was locked inside this room with two Galbadian soldiers. Squall was behind bars, seated on a bench, and had leaned his head against the wall in deep silence. His manner was beginning to disturb the two soldiers, as they had never witnessed a prison so silent, especially since this man was unconscious when was first brought inside.

The two soldiers had finally overcome their fear and sat at the desk, trying to make conversation in order to forget about the mad man behind the bars.

"Hey, did you hear?"

"No, what?"

"They're fighting out there right as we speak!"

"Are you serious?"

"Yeah. Someone said after _he_ was captured, every person stationed at the gates was ordered to kill off Esthar's troops." He said while motioning his head toward Squall's direction.

"Geez, why wasn't I aware of this?'

"We're patrollers of the inside, nothing will ever happen to us."

"…I think that's good. I'm tired of this job anyway."

"Whoa, you better not say that too loud, or you'll lose a paycheck."

"I could care less about the pay. This is my life we're talking about…"

"But that paycheck will support you and your life…"

"This isn't about the money, moron."

"Whatever you say."

Squall had been listening in to their conversation, and had gone into deep thought about making his next move. _…I'm responsible for this outbreak, aren't I? I should've stayed where I was…but then…what about Rinoa? I wonder how her meeting with Caraway is going, and what he has in mind._ _Speaking of Caraway, it seems that I've been taken to his Headquarters after all. They saved me all the trouble of having to find it, now all I have to do…is raid it._ He smirked a little and opened his eyes.

He slowly stood from his seat on the bench and walked to the bars. He quietly studied each bar and placed his gloved hands on them.

"Hey, what are you doing?" One of the guards said while standing up, but Squall ignored him and continued to study the bars.

"Answer me!" He shouted to Squall, and Squall finally looked up at him giving the guard his full attention, only, his eyes weren't so peaceful. Squall glared at the man, and watched as the soldier flinched nervously, but tried to shake off his fear. "Hey, you! You better not try anything stupid!"

"Like you really have what it takes to stop me." Squall spat at the soldier, obviously aware of his own cockiness. Before the man could move, he was struck by lightning and the other was frozen stiff by Squall's experienced spell casting. He smirked and once again placed his hands onto the bars.

"These bars are weak…I bet if I tried another spell I could remove them completely." He said while sliding his hands across the bars. After a few moments, he had focused enough mental power to cast the Break spell onto the metal bars. They were instantly turned to stone, and Squall kicked down the petrified bars to release himself from the single cell. Once out, he searched the bodies of the fallen guards to find a cardkey, which was used to lock and unlock the door.

He took the cardkey into his hands and sighed in relief. _Now, I have to find-wait a minute…I can't just walk around like this, it's too risky._

* * *

"She's laying down!" Caraway asked the soldier who had been walking with Rinoa.

"Yes, sir. She said she needed to rest first, and I do believe she wasn't feeling well at all."

_Rest? It's just an excuse. She's going to try and avoid me for as long as possible, right? We'll just see about that._

"Your orders?"

"You're dismissed."

"Thank you." The soldier said while saluting his General and exited the room. Caraway sat behind his desk and rubbed his chin softly.

"Rinoa…"

* * *


	19. Capricious Insight

**_Clash of the Gardens_**

* * *

_****__**Capricious Insight**_

* * *

Before their train ride began in Balamb, Selphie had waved to the employee who had been as stiff as a dummy for who knew how long. She looked back at the others and sighed, "What do you guys suspect we'll find in Galbadia?"

"…A war?" Zell said hoping that she caught on to his sarcasm.

"No, seriously! Do you think the soldiers have taken care of the problem already?"

"Who knows, Selphie? We'll see it just as soon as we get there." Quistis assured her.

"Speaking of which, we've got about twenty minutes left." Zell said like a true know it all.

"Really?" Selphie said while facing Zell again.

"Yeah, I'm used to this ride so I know just how long it takes us to get to Timber."

"Wow." Selphie exclaimed. Irvine pushed himself from the wall and walked toward the two of them.

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, always took this train with my mom, and I've had dozens of missions that required travel."

"I see."

"What about you, Mr. Kinneas? Have you traveled a lot?" Selphie asked him.

"Hey, just call me Irvine; although, I have to admit…Mister doesn't sound too bad…"

"Yo, have you traveled or not?" Zell snapped him out of his rambling.

"Oh…" He chuckled and touched the tip of his hat, "Only a few times. I'm from the west, most of the towns I had to get to were reachable by foot or car."

"Where are you from, if you don't mind my asking?" Quistis had finally joined in.

"Winhill, the same place Squall is from."

"What!" All three of them said together.

"It's true. Tell you what, when we get to Galbadia, you can ask him all about it. I'm not sure if he would want me telling all of his personal life aloud…"

" You can tell us, we're his friends."

"…Sorry, friendships don't mean a thing when it's my life on the line. That guy has already threatened me before, I don't want to push him to the edge."

"Come on, you can tell us. We won't tell him that we know." Selphie said with a sweet smile that Irvine quickly melted down to. "Please?" She added, and he smiled. Zell and Quistis looked at one another curiously, clueless as to what was going on between Selphie and the Cowboy.

"Okay, okay. I'll tell you guys, but do NOT break your word with me."

"We won't! Now tell us!" Zell and Quistis said together, but Irvine turned his back to them.

"Never mind, I don't think I trust you two just yet."

"What makes you think we trust you!"

"…Well, I'm going to Galbadia to help fend off my ex-military force from a foreign country in which I've never really paid attention to. To top all that off, I'm going with you all, three SeeDs, might I add, to put an end to a battle that has been dragging on for the past hour. SO…now what?"

Quistis and Zell growled and angrily turned their attention elsewhere. Irvine looked at Selphie and smiled sheepishly, then offered her his hand. "Come with me Ma'am, and I'll tell you everything you want to know."

"Really?"

"You have my word."

"Great!" Selphie cheered and took his hand. The two proceeded onto the next cart, leaving behind Zell and Quistis as they both looked dumbfounded toward the closing car door.

"Can you believe that?" Zell said, finally breaking the cold stares.

"…Zell keep an eye on that guy, I don't trust him."

"I'm on it." Zell said and followed behind Irvine and Selphie.

* * *

_Now I'm not one to complain…but this uniform is way too tight for me. _Squall thought to himself while running through the halls of the mansion. After he left and locked his clothes in the prison cell room, he ran for what felt like hours at a time. With each passing second, he grew more confused than before. Every so often, he would walk pass a real Galbadian soldier and had to salute to each one. He was careful to complete the correct salute; though, a few times he almost used the SeeD salute. He mentally told himself constantly to move his hand so that the index finger touches his forehead, and not in a way that the hand didn't make contact with the face at all.

Squall was now on the first floor of the mansion and had looked around carefully for a room that could've been a meeting room for Rinoa and Caraway. He wanted to eavesdrop on their conversation, even though he knew that eavesdropping wasn't the only thing he had in mind to do. Squall had honestly sat out to go after her from the beginning to be sure that she wasn't hurt or mistreated.

"She's here now. …Yeah, everything's okay." He heard a soldier say into his radio. "Yeah, I know, I only have an hour left." The soldier laughed and clicked a button, which turned the device off.

_She? Who's he talking about? Rinoa? _Squall thought as he decided to approach the soldier.

When he got near, the soldier looked at him and saluted, and Squall returned the gesture. "Is my shift over with already?" The soldier asked, and Squall nodded his head.

"Yep, it's been a long day, though, hasn't it?" Squall responded casually.

"…It sure has. Well, I'm off. Take care."

"You too." _Yeah,_ _I'll take care of her._

When he saw the soldier turn the corner of the hallway, he decided to wait a few minutes before entering. The Galbadian Soldiers ran from place to place because of specific orders, Squall had learned that much as he wandered about trying to find Rinoa.

Finally, he couldn't take it any longer; he only needed to see if it was Rinoa behind the door. He looked around first, and then faced the door slowly. With a turn of the knob, he had let himself inside.

He closed the door behind himself, and saw the figure's body flinch slightly at the noise from the closing door. Squall walked toward the bed and studied the body that lay across the bed, and was not surprised when he realized that it was too familiar to him. He smiled. _Rinoa…_

Feeling the presence of someone else in her room, Rinoa opened her eyes and looked back at the person who had entered. She was surprised to find a Galbadian Soldier standing in her room as if he had a right to be there. She gasped and sat up quickly, "What are you doing in here? Caraway sent you, didn't he?" The soldier stood quiet and still, he had placed his hand on his hip…all too casually, so familiar. She took a moment to examine the Galbadian Soldier; the mask covered his face and the red goggles shaded his eyes, so it was impossible to tell who he was by face. Still, the way he had placed his hand on his hip had bothered her. _Where have I seen that before? _She thought to herself, but not taking any chances, she ordered the soldier to leave. "Get out of here!"

He smirked and folded his arms.

_That smile…there's only one person who smiles just like that…_ "S-Squall? Is that you?"

"…Took you long enough." He said while unfolding his arms. She smiled and quickly got up from her bed, then enwrapped Squall in her arms. He was taken aback by her reaction, and shyly stepped back from her embrace.

"…Sorry." She said while giggling against her hand. He waved his hand and shook his head.

"Don't worry about it."

"…Oww." She grimaced as she sat back onto her bed.

"What's wrong?" He asked with concern and walked slowly toward her.

"It's nothing. I'm just tired."

"You should get some rest then."

"I was trying to."

"Oh…sorry."

She laughed, "No, you didn't do anything wrong. I just had to lay down for a little while, but I'm not sleepy anymore."

"Even so, you still should rest."

"Not right now, I want to know how you got that uniform."

"…This?"

"Yeah."

"…I found it outside."

"_Squall!_" She gave him a penetrating look, which caused him to focus his attention elsewhere. "So you won't tell me?"

"What did Caraway say? Have you met with him, yet?" He said quickly.

"Don't try to change the subject!"

"Rinoa there are more important things at hand here. I can tell you how I got this uniform later."

"…I haven't spoken with him yet." She sighed and lied back on her bed.

"Why not? Is he making you wait?"

"No…I just needed to rest first." Rinoa closed her eyes and folded her arms as she lay across the bed. They both sat silent for a few moments, in deep thought.

Squall looked down at the floor as he sat in the small wooden chair. _It's quieter in here than the other rooms. I wonder what's happening out there right now… I probably shouldn't tell Rinoa about the battle, she's got enough to worry about on her own. I don't want to add to her load. What in the world would Caraway want to discuss with her anyway? _He looked up and watched her as she lay with her eyes closed. She turned over and faced the wall, and opened her eyes.

"…Squall." She started, "…Why are you here?"

"…?" He stared quizzically at her, and Rinoa smiled, she knew without a doubt that she had gotten his attention. _What does she mean? I came here to see what Caraway wanted with her, and to make sure she was okay. _

"Squall?"

"…I…Well, I just-" _What the…? Why am I stuttering?_ He cleared his throat and looked at the floor again, "I was only trying to understand what Caraway's plans are."

_Caraway? Is he the only reason?_ She thought to herself. "Why don't you go and ask him, then?" He looked up from the floor quickly. By her voice, it sounded as if she were angry.

"If I got near him, he'd think I was trying to take his life."

"Why not? He's already taken mine." Rinoa said in disgust.

"Rinoa…?" Squall questioned, but Rinoa stayed quiet. Her body seemed to tremble as she curled up into a ball. He heard her sniffling lightly, and had moved his eyes back to the floor. As much as she wanted to resist, she could no longer fight back all the thoughts from about her father she had been having throughout the day. All together, they poured out onto Squall, who stood staring at her quizzically.

"…All I ever wanted was for him to notice me. Even before my mom died, he had isolated himself from me. He always had work to do…" She sniveled into her bed. "…It's taken him _this_ long to realize that I exist! I spent most of life trying to please him…but he only noticed me whenever I made a mistake."

Squall remained silent while questioning himself as to how he had upset Rinoa, and she continued to cry. As much as she tried to disassociate herself from her father, she could never escape him. _I can't believe it_ _…He came all the way here to ask about Caraway! _

Squall sat at the edge of his chair unsure of what to ask. He only wished that she would tell him what he had done exactly.

"He's the last person I want to hear about right now, and he's definitely the last person I want to face…" She groaned and sniffled again.

"Rinoa-"

"Leave me alone! You're only here for _Caraway_!" He was surprised at her words, and only sat watching her cry as she had done so many times before. She sat up and faced the wall, purposely turning her back to him. She heard him stand from his chair and walk to the door, "That's right, go away." She said while listening at the sounds of his steps moving toward the door, but then something was wrong, the walk to the door wasn't that long. Before she realized what was happening, Squall had taken her into his arms.

Rinoa closed her eyes and let her head fall onto his chest. He rubbed her hair softly with his hand and allowed her to release all anxieties onto him. She cried and wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"…Squall, I'm sorry. I didn't mean it…"

"It's okay… Everything will be okay." He said the words Rinoa had always wanted to hear _him_ of all people speak. She felt herself wanting to smile, but she looked up at him and whispered, " It will, won't it?"

He nodded his head slowly, and she moved her face back to his body once again. He allowed her to stay there for as long as she needed to, and Rinoa closed her eyes while sighing in relief. He moved his hands up to her neck, and she felt him tugging on her necklace. She laughed shakily, "Even with Griever, I'm still crying…" He stood quiet, but continued to tug on the necklace.

"Griever can't make you stop crying. You have to _believe_ that you're stronger, only then will you begin to change; however, all you need is your mother's ring. Unlike Griever, she was actually here, a living and breathing human being. What is Griever but some legendary beast that probably isn't even real. Your mother was alive, and while she was here, she protected you. I'm sure she doesn't think of you as a failure, and neither has she given up on you. Until you realize it doesn't matter what Caraway says or thinks of you…you'll continue to cry." He sighed, "You should probably get some rest now." He said uncomfortably and pulled himself away from her. She wiped her eyes and pushed herself back onto the bed.

Rinoa was confused, had he just badmouthed Griever? Wasn't Griever the only thing that ever comforted him; at least that was what he wanted her to believe.

As she lied back on her bed, she felt her necklace fall down into her shirt. She looked down and reached for it, but Squall took her hand and moved down to her eye level. "Have faith in yourself, Rinoa. That's what your mother would've wanted you to do." She looked up at him and used her free hand to touch his face. He stared into her eyes, something he had never done before, and smiled a little.

Rinoa slowly sat up with him once more and rubbed his face softly. Suddenly the smile was gone, seriousness overtook his face, and he removed her hand. He looked down as if searching for words.

"Squall?"

"Lie down and rest." He said while standing from the bed. He turned away as if about to leave, but Rinoa grabbed onto his hand tightly.

"Where are you going now?" She asked, but he stood silent. "…You took your ring back, didn't you? …Squall?"

Squall had turned around slowly to face her and stared into her eyes. He swallowed the lump in his throat and looked away from her innocent eyes.

"What's on your mind? You can tell me." When he moved his eyes back to hers, he saw that they were glistening again. He moved his hand to her face and rubbed gently. She closed her eyes and placed her hand atop his with a soft sigh.

He whispered, "I…just didn't know what to say to you…I didn't mean to upset you."

"Squall…I'm not angry with you. It's just my dad…" She spoke while opening her eyes.

"Do you really feel that way about him?"

She couldn't speak, only her eyes told him so. She moved her eyes to the wall and took a deep breath, "…That's what makes it so unfair, he's never thought twice about me until recently. …To him, I'm invisible."

"…Well, _I_ see you." Squall said, and had taken her by surprise.

Unable to control himself any longer, he bent down slowly and moved his face close to hers. As he moved closer, she felt his nervousness with every breath he took. To calm him, she touched his face softly once more and welcomed the feel of his warm lips on hers.

Squall kissed her lips softly and allowed his body to rest on the edge of her bed. He moved his arms around her and slowly laid her down. As he lowered her onto the bed with a deepening kiss, Rinoa was unable to believe what was happening. She carefully removed the Galbadian headgear from his face, which covered most of his features, to actually _see_ _him _as he kissed her passionately, proving she was no dreamer. She opened her eyes and saw his brown hair falling softly onto her face. Rinoa felt her eyes stinging with tears of joy, and had returned his kiss with ardor. He moved his hand to her neck and rubbed her chin with his thumb as he began to pull away, murmuring, "…Rinoa."

She was speechless as she stared into his grayish blue eyes; only her smile assured him that everything was okay. He smiled to her and touched her face again, then planted a quick kiss on her lips once more. "…I have to go now, but I promise you'll never be alone. I know _all_ that there is to know about loneliness… It's a terrible feeling, and I wouldn't want anyone, especially _you_, to live on with something as serious as being lonely…"

"…Squall…don't go." She muttered softly.

He stared into her eyes and whispered, "I promised that you won't be alone. All you have to do now is trust me. …Do you?"

She nodded her head slowly while answering, "I trust you." They lied there for a moment just staring into one another's eyes before they both moved in slowly again. Rinoa embraced him tightly as she endured his heated kiss once more, and when he pulled away, she released the breath she had held unknowingly.

Squall rose from the bed while grabbing his headgear, and looked at Rinoa for the last time. _I don't want to leave her here alone…but I have no choice. _

He sighed and placed the Galbadian mask back onto his face, then looked back at her. "…Goodbye, Rinoa."

"Goodbye?" She questioned him. "Squall, what are you talking about?"

Squall turned away and walked to the door. Without hesitation, he opened it and walked through. He closed the door behind himself and leaned his head back against it, heavily in thought. _Come on, I had to get out of there. There's an entire battle going on between Esthar and Galbadia because of me. Rinoa would understand if she knew about it, but it was best not to tell her; otherwise, she would blame this miniature battle on herself as well. Still…I can't help but to think that I'm making a mistake. …What did I just do?_

Just then, he heard the sound of heavy footsteps walking down the hallway. Squall quickly stood upright and pretended to be on guard duty. When he looked through the corner of his eye, he saw the figure of a tall man with jet-black hair, and a stern face; it was General Caraway.

"You there, you're dismissed." He called out to Squall, and Squall quickly saluted him like a Galbadian and took off, down the hall. The General watched the soldier make the turn, and then he gathered his breath before entering his daughter's room.

* * *

Rinoa was laying face down on her bed with her head dug into a pillow, she was crying again, and had given up the fight to hold back her tears. Suddenly she heard the door opening, she had hoped it to be Squall returning to stay with her for just a little while longer; however, it was her father.

"…_You_." She said in between her light whimpering.

"Hello to you too, Rinoa." He said huskily with a grin that Rinoa could have slapped away.


	20. Contrary to Diligence

**_Clash of the Gardens_** _**

* * *

**__**Contrary to Diligence**_

* * *

Meanwhile, Esthar had managed to hold them off long enough, and it was becoming impossible to continue fighting due to lack of ammunition.

"Captain, we have to get out of here!"

"I know! I know! Have the men load up on the vehicles immediately. I'm ordering our retreat, so move it!"

"Yes, captain." The soldier said and took a deep breath, "Retreat!-"

"They're running away! Hold your fire!" The Galbadian Captain called out to his men. "They're pulling back, stop shooting!" He shouted and knocked the gun from a soldier who had still been firing. "That's enough!"

"…Sorry, sir." The soldier lowered his gun and sighed.

"We'll keep watch here just to be sure they won't try anything else against us. Understood?"

"Yes, sir."

The Esthar soldiers ran into their vehicles and pulled away from the gate of Deling City. The captain groaned and slammed his machine gun into the floor of the moving vehicle. "I should've had us retreat from the beginning…"

* * *

As they traveled away, were planning to leave Timber. Zell pointed out the Rent-a-car shop and ran over to it excitedly. "Hey guys, let's get something fast."

"I agree."

"Hmm. It doesn't matter what car we take, I know a shortcut that will cut our travel time in half!" Selphie, Zell, and Quistis all looked at Irvine together with interest.

"Oh really?" Zell said while tapping his foot.

"Yep. I grew up over here, and unlike you three, I know this land like the back of my hand." He smiled confidently, "So, what do you all say?"

"Sounds reliable." Selphie squealed.

"No." Zell said while waving his hands at Selphie.

Quistis, "Just get us there."

"Not you either, Quistis."

"Aww, what's the matter? They out voted you?" Irvine laughed and walked toward the Rent-a-Car shop.

"Quistis, you've sold out on me!"

"I have not! I'm just trying to get us to Deling City as quickly as possible!"

"Riding _that!"_ Zell said as he pointed to the old dirty orange car in the shop's parking lot. Both Selphie and Quistis' mouths dropped. Irvine came back with the keys and smirking at them all like a million bucks.

"Ready to go?"

"…Irvine, what car did you get?" Quistis closed her eyes while asking.

"The owner said there's not really a choice, he told me that it's the only car still in the lot. It's not hard to miss."

"You can say that again." Zell said before being elbowed in his side by Selphie. "Ow!"

"Why? Is something the matter?"

"Did you see the car?" Zell yelled while pointing at the vehicle again. Irvine looked back and the dusty old coot in the parking lot.

"Wow! That's a classic car!" He said and happily walked toward it. "Come on! This ride will be great!"

The three of them stared blankly at Irvine in disbelief. Selphie was the first to break the silence, "Well…it's orange." She said and joined him at the car. Zell sighed and shrugged his shoulders, "I hope we don't crash."

"I better be sure that we have backup even though we are the backup." Quistis said as she walked toward the raggedy car.

"Hey guys, cheer up!" Selphie and Irvine said together.

"Oh brother…" Zell sighed again.

* * *

Caraway walked toward her as she lay on the bed. When he neared her, he stopped dead in his tracks. "…Rinoa, are you crying?"

She looked up at him and rolled her eyes. Rinoa had turned over on her bed and hid her face. "Why would _you_ care?"

"Because you're my daughter, and you mean the world to me."

"That's a lie! You wanted me dead!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Why _else _would you not speak out against those missiles? At that point in time, you _knew _I was in Timber, yet you allowed those missiles to be fired."

"No, you've got it all wrong."

"Oh?" She said and sat up quickly from her. Tears streaming down her face, "Well then tell me what happened! Tell me the truth!"

He looked at the floor and straightened his tie. "…I suppose I can't blame you for being so rude. I deserve it all, I really do." He cleared his throat and began to speak, "Rinoa, I know I don't deserve to stand here before you now, so just hear me out to the very end." He took a breath. "I never launched those missiles to Timber; in fact, I hadn't known about them until they were being sent off. I only hired that search party because I was worried about you, darling."

"Don't call me that!"

"You're my daughter, I'll call you whatever I want! I would never try to have you killed Rinoa! Why would you even draw that conclusion? It's absurd!"

"You found out that I was a member of the Resistance Factions, it gives you all reason to-"

"Why are you even accusing me of doing something like that? You are my flesh and blood…I could never forgive myself if you were killed."

"Don't give me that! What about all the other daughters you've had killed, huh! Do you know how many people suffered because of you and your president? I ran away from here to get away from _you_! …You were supporting Deling and killing just about anyone that stood in your way."

"I was following orders-"

"You were murdering thousands of innocent people!"

He closed his eyes and walked toward her dresser to lean against for support. "…I think about it everyday, Rinoa. …Just because I barricade myself from the outside world does _not_ mean that I don't give a damn about those people out there!" Rinoa sat up quickly and glared at him. She folded her arms and raised an eyebrow. "Don't look at me like that." He said while opening his eyes, he knew his daughter too well, he knew she would throw a fit.

"When you left, my world crashed." He started. "I admit, my heart was very cold years ago, and yes I have killed many people. But back then, I didn't care about the consequences of my decisions and actions, I didn't care at all. I only wanted to gain respect from all those under me, I wanted respect from the president. …People suffered with every choice I ever made within the Galbadian Military, and it never occurred to me how deadly my actions were…until I had a daughter out in the middle of it all." He stood straight from the dresser and approached the bed once more, and took a knee.

"Ever since the first day you ran away, I had kept track of the number young females in all the places nearby, but every time the body of a young girl was found, my heart ached terribly. I was depressed and had cared less about Deling's plans. I became more obsessed with finding _you _and learning _your_ whereabouts. That's why I sent that platoon out to find you Rinoa. It was never about finding the weakness of those Faction Members; it was never about taking down all those who opposed the president. I hated Galbadia; I hated everything about them, and myself. The only thing I knew was you…only you."

Rinoa turned her eyes away from him as he continued to speak, "…After I learned that you had been hiding away in Timber, I paid close attention to the missions and soldiers who were being sent there. I became involved in all the actions taking place and read over the missions carefully."

He sighed, "…Deling heard that you were inside Timber and decided to take advantage of the situation. He had Almasy, who was already taking orders from me, take on a double role and when Almasy found you, he also learned about the Factions and their newest plans. I was so worried about you that I hadn't even realized the president was double crossing me. I signed every document that was passed to me from the president, which included Timber. I was so focused on protecting you that a particular document slipped underneath my nose."

Caraway moved his face to her eyes and she turned her head the opposite way. "It was the same document that explained about the use of those missiles. Deling said he notified me before he gave the order, and he did, but it was never brought to my full attention. The document was hidden beneath a few other papers that were of a different story. Because I didn't shift through the papers, and hadn't complained to him about the missiles, he took it as a go ahead and had the missiles sent off."

He rose from the floor and sat beside her, "Rinoa, I had no idea those missiles would be fired. The proof lies on that document…and I'm sure if you ask any of those soldiers from Esthar, who had found Deling in his chambers, they will tell you that my signature was not found anywhere on that document of Deling. And the document itself was found on his desk drenched in his very own blood."

Rinoa lowered her eyes to the floor. She stared at it for a few more seconds before lifting her head to meet his eyes.

"…Is this your way of apologizing? You think I'll forgive you, just like _that!"_

"…I know you're upset, and I had already expected the cold shoulder. I'm not surprised with your feelings. I've been wanting to talk to you for some time now, to tell you the truth."

Rinoa cleared her throat and allowed all the information to sink in properly, but Caraway began to speak again.

"I heard that you weren't feeling well, and I decided to drop by. Just to check up on you."

"…Well, I'm fine now." She said without looking at him. "…Didn't you call me here to discuss something important?"

"…I'm sorry."

"You're so selfish! I can't believe you!" She pushed him away as he tried to embrace her. "You knew I'd come back if you mentioned Timber!"

He sighed and turned forward, "…I'm not doing this in to gain your forgiveness Rinoa, I know you'll never forgive me anyway. Over the years, I've realized all the pain I've caused. I just want to…give back what I took."

"What you took cannot be given back-"

"Yes, I do realize that. It's the most I can do for them. I'm going to rebuild Timber back to how it was before the war, before Galbadia ever came into the picture. I want you to be in charge of the reconstruction of Timber, Rinoa. Because you know the people so well, I know you can do this job. I heard you were quite the leader when you were with those factions."

She looked at him and smiled."…Reconstruction of Timber? Are you honestly trying to rebuild?"

"Very. Because Deling is dead, I am entitled to Presidency. I want to start fresh with Galbadia. …You aren't the only person who tires of war."

"…I…" _Rinoa, come on. …Yes, I fought and won against Galbadia during the war, but bringing death to others isn't my victory. Killing hasn't helped anyone! …Taking this job will enable me to do something for my friends! This is what I've always wanted to do. I know I can do it! _She whispered, "Yes, I can do it."

"Do you want the job?"

"I'll take it." She said while looking at her father's face.

He took a deep breath and smiled, "Rinoa, I knew you wouldn't refuse."

"Don't get me wrong, old man, if I see one thing that's odd or out of line, I'll have nothing to do with."

"You won't have anything to worry about. You have my word on this."

"Good, but I'll need more than your word. I want you to write a written document stating your intensions with your signature on the bottom. Am I understood?"

"Very well. I guess you still don't trust me."

"…Not really, no. How am I supposed to know that I you aren't just like Deling? Every time I think back to my childhood and memories of you, I only remember seeing Deling." She sighed, "A few years of new light doesn't beat a lifetime of mischief. Some people never change their ways, and you…how do I know if you're any different from Deling?"

"These things take time, but I assure you, I am not Deling. He was a greedy man who knew no respect for others." Caraway looked at Rinoa with sad eyes, "I'm just upset with myself for waiting so long to make an action against his ways. I had to lose you in order to get my cruel awakening."

She looked at him and leaned her head on his shoulder. He smiled and put his arm around her. Though she would never speak it, Rinoa had forgiven her father's past mistakes.

"Hey you! Get back in line! Hey! Why are you running away! Hold it!" The sounds of an angry Galbadian Captain calling out to a fellow soldier could be heard through Rinoa's bedroom door. The General and daughter sat up quickly.

"What is going on?" Caraway question as he rose from the bed and walked to the door.

Rinoa sat still for a moment when she realized, _Could that have been Squall? He came back?_

* * *

Yes, he ran from the door when Caraway dismissed him, but his curiosity drove him to listen in on their conversation. So there he was, standing outside of the door, listening in on the General and his daughter.

…_He's going to rebuild Timber? That will be great, but…Rinoa. I'll probably…never see her again._

"Hey you! Get back in line!"

_Just great…I don't want the General to come out here… _He thought as he looked at the Captain walking toward him. In an instant he took off running.

"Hey! Why are you running away? Hold it!"

Squall cut the corner and made his way to the stairwell. The captain was stopped by the General, who had opened the door and saw him running down the hall, and questioned what had been going on.

"He's still running, sir. I'll catch him and bring him to you."

"Go." The General said and allowed the Captain to run after Squall.

Squall ran upstairs and found the room he had left the two soldiers inside. He slid the cardkey through the slide and the door unlocked. Just as soon as he stepped through the closing door, he heard footsteps running down the hallway. _He's called for backup already? Well, it really doesn't make a difference if I continue to wear this uniform or not. I can't take it anymore; these clothes are uncomfortable anyway. _

He quickly changed back to his clothes and grabbed his gunblade from the floor. With a quick twirl of his gunblade, he sheathed it back onto his side and dug into his pocket. He grabbed his Griever ring and pulled it to his face with a grin. _Rinoa… _Squall kissed the ring and slid it back onto his finger.

Caraway walked passed a few soldiers down the hall and glared at them, "Have you found the intruder yet?"

"No, sir. We're still looking for him." They said while saluting him.

"Find him, quickly!"

"Yes, Sir!" They both said and ran down the hall. Rinoa finally out of room and had been walking behind her father.

_Squall…_ She looked into her hand and saw her silver necklace, and the ring attached. "What are you going to do to him?" She asked Caraway.

"It's an intruder, he must be stopped immediately. Who knows what he'll do. Go back into your room and lock the door."

"…No."

"Rinoa, get in your room, now!"

"Stop treating me like a child, I'm not weak anymore!" She said and ran the opposite way of the General.

"Rinoa!" He called out to her, but she continued to run. "…She's…absolutely right." He said and turned away to walk to his office.

* * *


	21. Leave

**_Clash of the Gardens_**

**

* * *

**

**_Leave_**

* * *

Squall had exited the prison cell room and ran through the mansion. He remembered where the exit was, but the Galbadians heavily guarded it. He had hidden himself away down a dead end corridor in order to keep safe from any soldiers. _I should've kept that uniform… It'll be impossible to get out of here without getting caught. I'll end up fighting the entire Galbadian army by myself._

He sighed and tried his luck once more. "Psst." He heard beside himself as he had begun walking again. When looked back, he saw Rinoa hiding behind a wall.

"Rinoa?"

"Come with me." She whispered and took off down the corridor. She ran through the last door and held it open for him. He followed her and walked inside.

"Where are we?"

"My father's old office." She said as she closed the door.

"How did you get here? That corridor is the only way to get to these rooms, isn't it?"

"Not quite. Haven't I told you before that my dad had used all means to keep us safe? If the mansion was attacked at anytime, we could escape by passageways from our rooms. Like this." She grabbed a cup from his China Dish collection, and walked to a statue, which the wall enveloped, then placed the cup inside the hand of the statue. The statue's hand lowered and immediately revealed a secret walkway.

"Are you serious?" Squall said while scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah. This walkway will take you to the sewers. Don't worry, you can't get lost down there. Immediately after you go down, you'll find ladders that will take you to the street outside. Just don't take the first one you see; otherwise, you'll end up in our backyard."

"Okay."

"…Squall. Be careful."

"…I will." He said and walked toward the secret walkway. "Take care of those people." He whispered as he passed beside her, but she touched his arm.

"What's going to happen now?" She asked him, and he turned to her slowly.

"…You'll give your friends what they always wanted, what _you_ always wanted: freedom."

"But will I ever see you again?" Her voice was as soft as a whisper. He moved his hand to her waist and pulled her closely against his body, softly kissing her forehead.

"…Trust me." He whispered as she grabbed onto his coat and rested her face against his chest. He rubbed his face onto her hair and smiled. Squall Leonhart had finally understood what it felt like to have someone to trust him, and someone he could trust in as well.

"Rinoa, are you in here!" Caraway shouted through the door. Squall quickly backed away and ran down the walkway. She watched his figure disappear into the darkness and whispered inaudibly, "…I love you." She sighed and pushed the side of the wall hard, and the passageway closed. As the statue reappeared, Caraway had opened the door.

"What are you doing?" He asked and she looked at him but remained silent. "Answer me, Rinoa."

"…Does it really matter?" She said and wiped her eyes.

"…You knew that person?" Caraway asked and closed the door. She lowered her head and took a seat on the loveseat, which was arranged for usage by guests only. She nodded her head and placed her hands in her lap.

"Who was he?"

"No one, you don't have anything to worry about. Now please, can you just leave me alone?"

"…Rinoa."

"Please."

"…Very well. We will discuss this soon."

"Yeah, whatever." She said while fanning him from the room. He groaned and exited the room.

"Woof!"

"Sorry, sir, it just ran passed the guards and got inside!" A soldier yelled as he ran toward Caraway chasing the dog.

"Angelo?" Rinoa heard the General exclaim from outside, but even the sound of her companion wouldn't make her feel any better.

* * *

Taking Irvine's shortcut, the group of teenagers endured about an hour of riding over rough terrain. Selphie had been singing a song when they first began, but as time went on, she grew ill of carsickness and had sat still in her seat with her hand covering her mouth. Zell and Quistis were holding onto their seatbelts as Irvine chose to ride over each and every hill on the road. The only person who wasn't affected by the ride was Irvine, himself; he was confident in his driving skills and had a cheesy smile on his face as he drove.

Zell glared at the back of Irvine's head, as he sat in the back seat with Quistis, and silently planned a way to knock him out without causing the car to swerve off the road. Quistis looked at Zell, and then to Irvine, and she looked as though she would be by his side with whatever it was that Zell had been scheming.

Selphie faced the window and coughed. "Whoa, are you okay over there, missy?" Irvine asked and glanced at Selphie in the passenger's seat.

"Mhmm..." She answered, fearing if she had opened her mouth, who _knew _what would come out.

"Don't worry, we're almost there!"

"Almost doesn't count, we should be there _now_!" Zell and Quistis yelled together.

"What's with you two? Ever since we were on that train, you two have had a bone to pick with me. Why don't you trust me yet?"

"I really don't trust your driving!" Zell shouted.

"Yeah, so would you mind looking at the road?" Quistis added.

"Geez, alright!" When he looked up ahead, he was stunned to two large vehicles up ahead. "Whoa!" He pulled the car to the side. "Who are they?"

"Dunno." Zell said while scratching his head.

"Why…it's…its Esthar!" Selphie said as she got out of the car. "Hey!" She said to wave down the vehicles.

"Selphie, what are you doing? You don't know for sure." Irvine said from the car.

"Esthar is the only military force with vehicles shaped like boxes. I'm just surprised those things aren't floating above the ground."

"What?" Irvine, Zell, and Quistis questioned while looking at one another.

"Come on, guys. Help me get their attention! Irvine, flash the headlights!"

"Gotcha."

"Zell and Quistis, yell as loud as you can!"

"Roger!" Zell said, but Quistis rolled her eyes. "Oh come on Quistis! Help us out."

She sighed and stood out of the car. Zell laughed and joined the girls outside of the parked vehicle. Together they all yelled and managed to get the Estharian Soldiers' attention.

After explaining that they were indeed the backups, the Estharian soldiers agreed to escort them back to Deling City. Although they were a little upset that more SeeDs were dispatched to help out, they were thankful to have a few more helping hands.

By the time they reached Deling City, there weren't any soldiers stationed at the gates of the City; instead, they all saw a blue car, and a person sitting on its hood.

* * *

Squall sat on the hood of Rinoa's blue car; he had managed to find his way from the sewers, and ended up in a busy intersection. Thankfully, there weren't too many cars passing at this time, since it was almost three in the morning. It was no wonder Rinoa became weary, her body knew she needed proper rest from the longest day.

As he had exited the city, he looked back and saw the Mansion, now so obvious that he wondered how he wasn't able to find it from the beginning. With every step he took away from Caraway's Headquarters, he thought more about Rinoa. He sighed and rubbed his face, now that he was sitting again, his body felt the tiring weight of a long day as well. He yawned and covered wiped his eyes.

"Squall! Is that you!" A voice shouted from afar.

"…Hm?" He looked up and saw Selphie running toward him. Zell, Quistis, and Irvine were following behind her. _Irvine? What the heck is he doing here?_ "Selphie?"

"It _is_ you! Guys! We found him!"

"…Well obviously, Selphie." Zell said and laughed, the others had begun to laugh along with him. She looked back at him poked her tongue at him; doing so, she caused the laughter to increase. Squall stood from the car and moved his hand to his forehead with a sigh.

After they were all situated, Squall had begun explaining Galbadia's new intentions. "I'm certain they aren't a future threat to us."

"…I hope you're right." Quistis said softly.

"Well, we should get going." Squall said and started to walk away, but Zell stopped him.

"Hey, where's Rinoa?"

Squall stopped and without looking back at Zell he spoke, "Forget about her. She's with Galbadia again." He spoke with a hint of anger in his tone.

"Wha-"

"But Squall." Selphie said worriedly.

"We have to get back to Balamb." He said quickly and walked to the Estharian Soldiers. The others watched him quizzically as he talked with the few soldiers that remained and then went back to the blue car again.

"How can he act so cold toward her, after everything she's done for him?" Selphie said in disbelief.

"Rinoa…she's one of us." Zell said as he thought back on the war. The two of them sighed, but Irvine had laughed a little. Quistis turned to him and smirked. Zell and Selphie looked at the two of them, "What are you guys laughing about?"

"Zell, you don't know anything about women, do you?" Irvine said while chuckling.

"What are you talking about?"

"Ah…how can I break this down to you…?" He said as he rubbed his chin. Quistis sighed, "He likes Rinoa, but because he's too proud to admit it to us… he's pretending that he doesn't care about her."

"Way to spoil the fun, Quistis." Irvine said while rolling his eyes and turning away from them.

"Are you serious?" Zell said, but Selphie only shrugged her shoulders.

"Oh, I knew that already." She said and followed behind Irvine.

"How? When did this happen!" Zell exclaimed. Quistis shook her head and walked behind Irvine and Selphie.

"Come on Zell, I'll explain everything in the car." Zell followed them, scratching his head and walking slowly. _This is crazy. All I knew is that Rinoa almost got killed trying to save his sorry a-_ "Bye, Zell!" The girls yelled from inside the rusty car.

"Oh…hey! Wait a minute, don't leave me!"

* * *

Before noon, they were all back in Balamb Garden. It was a long night on the road; The Estharian Soldiers had turned off and headed to Winhill, and Irvine had begun to follow them, but thankfully Quistis was awake and had pointed him in the right direction. Squall followed behind in the blue car, and had eventually passed them up, but when Irvine tried to race him, he ignored the race invitation and continued to drive.

Upon arrival, Quistis ordered Squall to his room, and promised that she would take care of everything. Because he had thoroughly explained Galbadia's intentions, she would transfer his information to the headmaster. After much rebelliousness, Squall finally took it into consideration that he needed to rest.

"Reconstruction of Timber…"

"Yes, sir." Quistis said. "We believe it to be only objective Galbadia currently has. There aren't anymore signs of threat."

"I understand. Is that all Quistis?"

"Yes, sir."

"Alright, you're dismissed."

"Thank you, sir." She said as she bowed, and then exited the room. Xu stood beside him and smiled excitedly.

"Xu?"

"Sir?" She said while walking toward the front of his desk.

"Have Squall come to my office once he's awakened."

"Yes, sir." She saluted him and turned toward the door, but stopped. "Umm…Headmaster." She said and looked back to him.

"What is it, Xu?"

"About my position…Sir…" She took a deep breath, "…I don't think I'm the rightful leader of SeeD. During that battle, I was afraid to fight." Xu lowered her head, "The position of Commander belongs to someone who is fearless in battle, can strategize possible attacks, and look after his comrades." She looked up from the floor and approached Cid's desk, "Out there on the battlefield, I realized I lacked those qualities. I felt more comfortable doing my job behind the desk, than I was during that battle, sir. So…I would like to step down as the Commander of SeeD at Balamb Garden."

"…Xu." He took his glasses off from his face and rubbed his forehead, "You are a fine leader, and I am proud to have you as the Commander. You've done a wonderful job."

"With all due respect sir, I believe someone else deserve this title more than me." She said feeling her heart pounding in her chest.

"…Who?" He asked as he placed the glasses back onto his face.

"…Squall Leonhart." After all that time, the person she never thought deserved to be a SeeD, was the person she recommended for her position. Cid sighed and closed his eyes.

"I'll take it into consideration. You are dismissed."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Xu." He answered her as she exited the office. Xu took a deep breath and placed her hand over her heart.

"Calm down. Please calm down." She took one more refreshing breath and smiled, "…Now, all I have to do is get Squall to see him, and I'm off the hook." She said as she entered the elevator.

* * *

Cid turned his chair to face the window behind. He looked outside and down at his Garden. _No…Squall is too reckless to be Commander. As hard as it is to believe, Squall is too emotional to handle the responsibilities of being a leader. He has to find himself before taking on such role._

His office rung and disrupted his thoughts, he answered it quickly. "Cid Kramer."

"_Mr. Kramer, I just received word that my soldiers are safely back in Winhill. I've ordered them to return to Esthar, and the backup that I sent out for will take over their watch in Winhill."_

"Alright."

"_By the way. How are your SeeDs fairing?"_

"They arrived in shortly. Everything is fine."

"_Good. I'll stop by before I leave for Esthar, is that okay?"_

"It's just fine, Mr. Loire. I'll notify my SeeDs' of your arrival."

"_Excellent. Then I will see you later."_

"Yes."

"_Take care."_

"You too."

The two men ended the phone conversation and sighed. Laguna had only wanted to return to meet the SeeD called Leonhart; he had to prove to himself that it was only a coincidence. Cid rubbed his forehead again, how was he supposed to talk to Squall with so many issues at hand. He kept wondering how Squall would handle his decision to release him of his SeeD duties. He groaned while clasping his hands together and squeezing them.

"Is this the right the thing to do?"

Just as he had asked himself, he received a knock on the door. Without looking up, he spoke aloud, "Come in."

The door opened and in walked his visitor, "Sir, you wanted to see me?"

Cid looked up and took a deep, "…Squall."

* * *


	22. Part 7: Serenity

_**Clash of the Gardens**_ **

* * *

**

**Part VII :Serenity**

**Commove **

* * *

"Sir, you wanted to see me?" Squall asked as he walked inside. 

Cid looked up and took a deep breath, "…Squall."

"…Is this a bad time?"

"No, I wasn't expecting to see you so _soon_. Quistis informed me that you were asleep."

"…I see." _Well, I'm here now, aren't I?_

"Squall, please have a seat." He said with a motion of his hand to the chairs before his desk. Squall took a seat and sat up straight. "…Squall, over the years…I have received really great reports from you. You are truly one of the best SeeDs that I have ever taken under my wing; however, your latest conduct has been quite upsetting to me."

Squall looked down at the desk while listening to Cid continue, "After you did that magnificent job in our defense from Trabia and Galbadia's forces, you disobeyed commands and left the Garden, knowing _well_ that we were still in risk of danger."

_I wasn't on any type of command after our battle. I was injured._

Cid's eyes became angry, "You took on a situation which you knew little of, and you stole a Garden Car to do so."

_I knew as much as I needed to know. Rinoa was in trouble. What else was I supposed to do? …And I didn't steal the car; I borrowed it._

"You used a spell on a pedestrian at the Train Station. That poor man is so traumatized, he has to seek medical attention because of what you did."

…_It's not like I used an attack spell on him; I only caused him to stop. Why can't you at least be thankful that he's still alive?_

"You almost wrecked a plan that took a great deal of time to develop."

_Whatever… We both knew that kidnapping Rinoa was last minute._

"The newly formed Peace Treaty between Balamb Garden and Esthar was almost broken because of that stunt you pulled back in Winhill."

_What stunt? All I did was exchange a few words with the Captain._

"And last but not least, violence erupted in Deling City because the Galbadians complained that Esthar had sent in a spy. Do you know just how much damaged you have caused, Mr. Leonhart? I've had to write report after report, and apology after apology because of your recklessness."

Cid rubbed his forehead and sighed, "…I am terribly sorry about this Squall, but I am going to have to release you from your SeeD duties.-"

"Sir-"

"But because you are one of my best and personal favorites…I will only have you suspended from your SeeD duties for three months." The old man smirked, "You are not to leave Garden under any circumstances. Am I understood?"

_What a cruel joke…_ "Yes, sir. Thank you, sir." He said while standing from his seat and saluting.

"You're welcome." Cid sighed, knowing that if he had to release the youth from the Garden, it would take all of his might to do such a cruel thing. Even though the two had seen little of each other over the years, there was an understanding of trust. Although he had suspended Squall once before, he knew that the young man was still in the process of learning from his mistakes. Cid also understood that Squall would have no place to go if fired, and so, the old man had had sympathy on the young SeeD once again.

"And Squall…the President of Esthar will be arriving sometime today. I believe he wanted to get to know you."

"…I'll be sure to speak with him today." Squall put his hand down to his side and looked at the floor. _Why would he want to meet me? That's the last thing I'd expect anyone to do. Didn't the headmaster say I almost wrecked the peace between Esthar and us?_

"Squall?" Cid called to him, snapping him out of his thoughts.

"Yes, sir?"

"You are dismissed."

"…Thank you." Squall turned from Cid's desk and quickly walked to the door.

As he exited, Cid sighed, "…I'm too old for this job. I was supposed to let him go, not _suspend_ him." He groaned and faced the window behind once again.

* * *

"I told him!" Xu exclaimed to Quistis with a bright smile. The two had been standing at the end of the stairs by the elevator a little after Xu talked with Cid. "I finally told him." She said again. 

"You're stepping down as Commander?" Quistis questioned while folding her arms.

"Yep!" She suddenly quieted down, "…But I'm not sure if he'll allow me to do so. He said that I'm doing a great job as the Commander."

"Honestly, you are. You've taken good care of the junior classmen, you made sure we all had the proper equipment for training, and you ensured that new books were delivered here monthly."

"Quistis, think about what you just said. Anyone could mistake me for a secretary."

"…I thought you wanted to be more active as a field SeeD? Why the sudden change?"

"…Being on that battlefield, I realized it wasn't where I belonged. Sure I helped out when others were in danger, but altogether, I didn't want to fight. A leader shouldn't have thoughts like that on her mind during a war. By stepping down, I feel like I'm doing not only myself a favor, but this Garden a favor as well."

"Well if you aren't happy, then I guess it's for the best that you step down."

"…Yeah. This Garden needs someone that can put up a fight." Xu looked at Quistis and smirked, "…Someone like Squall Leonhart."

"Are you serious?"

"Yes. I even recommended him to Headmaster Cid; as a matter of fact, I think the headmaster is taking up my suggestion because he's talking to Squall just as we speak."

"Do you think he's really contemplating having Squall take over for you?"

"He said he'd take it into consideration. There's no doubt in my mind that Squall is the best candidate."

"Still…" Quistis said as placed her hand on her chin. "…I don't really think he would be comfortable in that position. He rarely even likes cooperating with us."

"…Well, you certainly have a point."

"Come on, let's not think about this now. I'm sure Dr. Kadowaki may need a hand with the wounded."

"…Okay." Xu sighed and followed Quistis to the infirmary.

* * *

Sometime later on that day, Laguna and his escorts arrived at Balamb Garden to congratulate the Headmaster and his SeeDs on their success in the war. He had waved at every person he passed as he was led up to the headmaster's room, and most of the time he received friendly smiles although there were a few quizzical stares in the mix of a crowd. Laguna only shrugged his shoulders and continued to follow behind Xu as he was shown to Headmaster Cid's office. 

Zell, Selphie, and Irvine watched him as he was led inside, and each shook his or her head with asigh, saying, "_Now_ what?"

* * *

In his bed, Squall lay restless. He had awakened only moments ago to a quiet room, but the peacefulness was beginning to agitate him. The blinds hid the little sunlight that had brightened his room before, and the sun peered through the shades of the blinds, forming rays of light. There was a strange tenderness about the natural essence blooming within his room, but memories of the days before had cluttered Squall's mind and he became oblivious to the enveloping gentleness. 

_Suspended again…and for three whole months… Squall sighed to himself, as he lay on his bed in total confusion._ He folded his arms behind his head and rested while looking at the ceiling, as if seeing beyond and searching the heavens for answers.

_Being a SeeD is the only thing I'm good at, but now its been taken away from me temporarily. …And all because of you…Rinoa._

He closed his eyes and pictured Rinoa's face within his memories. Reliving the moment when their eyes met, and their lips touched. He curled into a ball and faced the wall beside his bed. _Rinoa…_

_The first time I saw you…you were being taken away by that Galbadian Soldier…I didn't like the way he grabbed you, and placed your hands behind your back like some sort of animal. It was cruel, and unusual…so I took care of him for you. Yes, at that moment, I didn't exactly give you the warmest attention…but when you came to my aid just a short while after that; you gave me the most beautiful smile I had ever seen. Ever since that moment…I had been feeling less like myself. I tried to deny it, and often argued with you just to be sure that…that I wouldn't make my attraction to you seem obvious._

He groaned and bit his bottom lip, "Why does this always happen? Every time she's away, I begin to reminisce about things of the past! I don't want to think back…just stop thinking." He told himself and closed his eyes; however, he knew he could never silence his own thoughts.

…_All that time I wasted, what was it for? Was I so serious about being a SeeD that I completely ignored her just to take orders? If that's true, then maybe I ought to have this break from my duties, but I can't leave the grounds under any circumstance… so I'm stuck inside, regardless._

He sighed once again, _Now that I realize how much you mean to me, you're not even here…_

Realizing that he could no longer take the total silence, Squall rose from his bed and freshened up in the bathroom. Feeling the pressure from his suspension, and his lost love, Squall decided to rid himself the troublesome thoughts. Lost love? Was it possible for him to have fallen for her over the short period of time? He had to admit, it had been the longest weeks in his life, weeks that he would never forget.

Squall looked at himself in the mirror and squinted his eyes. _What is it that she sees in me? When I look at myself sometimes, I don't really know who it is I'm looking at. Some days, I just want to know who I really am and who I'm supposed to be. And then there are other days where I just don't care about anything or anyone. I want to know who I am… Everything. Raine…tell me._

And with thoughts flooding his mind, Squall left his room and headed to the place that had always been his second home, a place where every stressful situation he might have been going through had subsided; the Training Center.

* * *

Laguna looked out at the view from Cid's office and smiled, "This is a _very _nice view! I see why you're always cooped up here." 

"I beg your pardon."

"Oh, I didn't mean that in a bad way, Mr. Kramer. I'm just admiring your office." Laguna said with a cheesy smile.

"…Loire? Is there…" Cid folded his arms and gave a soft sigh, "Is there anything I can help you with, sir?"

In an instant, the smile had vanished, and Laguna had now possessed a serious tone as well. "Yes, there is. The SeeD to cause the turmoil yesterday…?"

"You mean, Leonhart."

"Yes, yes…I would like to have a word with him."

"Sir, I assure you, this matter has been resolved. He has been placed on suspension due to his actions. Squall is a very dedicated SeeD; he will learn his lesson well. I don't believe you have to-"

"Mr. Kramer, I only want to speak with him. I promise I won't verbally attack him; besides, let's not focus on the negative aspect of his faults yesterday, but only realize that he has to be a hell of a lot braver than most men to place himself in the position he was in."

Cid scratched the back of his head, "…I suppose you're right."

"Now please, I would like to have a word with him. If you don't mind."

"…No, not at all. I'll have him informed immediately."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Laguna." The old man smiled and exited his office. Laguna shook his head and silently laughed to himself.

The headmaster walked into Xu's office and knocked on her door. Thinking that Quistis had returned to give her more orders from Dr. Kadowaki, Xu purposely pouted her face and answered the door; this would have helped to create sympathy…had it been Quistis.

"Xu!" Cid said while raising an eyebrow confusingly.

"Aiya-Sir!" She quickly changed her face and saluted him. He chuckled and waved his hand.

"No need for that. I need you to call Squall to my office."

"Again?"

"Xu-"

"I mean, I'm on it!"

"Thank you, Xu."

"No problem, Sir." She walked around Cid and headed to the elevator while mumbling, "Why doesn't he ever use the loudspeaker for this kind of stuff anymore?"

Cid watched her get onto the elevator, and press the first floor level button. When she was out of sight, he readjusted his glasses and smirked a bit. _The way Loire had asked about Squall…is there something more than just wanting to meet with Leonhart?_

* * *

Xu walked down the Dormitory Hallway and finally came across Squall's room. She moved her hand up to knock, but stopped herself. "…This is familiar…" She pulled her hand back and smiled, "Of course…" 

With a shrug of her shoulders and a deep breath, Xu left the Dormitory Hall and made her way around the loop of the Main Hall. She smiled confidently and entered the Training Center.

"Now, where is he?" She muttered underneath her breath. Xu had taken the left pathway of the Training Center. Most students who were going on a run inside the Center preferred to begin with the door on the right; with this in mind, Xu chose the path to the left because Squall might have been inside for awhile. She looked around and heard the death cry of a T-Rexaur reverberating throughout the walls of the Training Center. "…That's got to be Squall's doing."

As Xu had expected, it was Squall inside slaying a T-Rexuar with great ease. He had been inside for no more than thirty minutes, and had already destroyed hordes of monsters. No matter how many of those beasts he slaughtered, nothing would put his mind at ease. Every possible thought on his mind consisted of Rinoa and his past. He gave an aggravated groan and threw down his gunblade. "Dammit!"

"Whoa! Easy there, Leonhart." Xu said as she watched him emit a heavy sigh. He looked up from his grounded gunblade and placed his right hand on his hip while wiping his forehead with the other. "Are you okay?"

He was breathing heavily and couldn't answer; instead, he nodded his head while looking away from her.

"The headmaster would like to see you."

_Again? What is it this time? Is he going to completely release me from Balamb?_ Squall picked up his gunblade from the ground and sheathed it back onto his side. _If that's the case, I may as well prepare myself for the worst._ He took a deep breath and walked toward the exit, but Xu cleared her throat aloud and spoke up.

"Um, Squall?"

"…Huh?" Squall looked back at Xu, surprised that she used his first name for once.

"You've done a pretty good job around here lately. With that kind of achievement under your belt, I'm sure you can run this Garden someday."

Squall stood still and looked at the ground; a compliment from the Commander? What was really going on? Just a few moments ago, the Headmaster because of those same actions that the Commander was now applauding suspended him. He sighed, "Thanks." _How about ruling the Garden?_ He smirked to himself and shook his head. "I'll be on my way now."

"Yeah." She smiled and allowed him to pass her in the Training Center. _What he lacks socially, he can totally make up for on the battlefield! But then…I wouldn't want to jinx our peaceful future with a battle that doesn't even exist… _She chuckled and soon exited the Training Center as well.

* * *


	23. Father

**_Clash of the Gardens_**

**

* * *

**

**_Father_**

* * *

As Squall arrived at Cid's office, he had prepared himself to be dismissed rather quickly from the old man's sight. He held his breath and knocked on the door.

"Come inside, Squall." He heard Cid's welcoming voice call out from inside the room.

Laguna sat in a chair before Cid's desk, his back toward the door of the office. He wasn't sure what to expect when the young SeeD was to enter the room. He nervously sat in his chair, his leg shaking and had only a few minutes before it would begin to cramp up. Laguna heard the knock on the door and shuttered as if he had caught a fright from the knocking. Cid had looked at him and titled his head to side quizzically, and when Squall entered the room with the two older men, their fidgeting had ceased.

Laguna had faced forward, not wanting to look back, but Cid looked up from him and smiled at Squall. "Ah, Squall please have a seat."

"Thank you, sir." Squall said as he walked to the second chair, and as he walked, Laguna turned back to see him.

When Laguna looked at Squall, he almost called out to his betrothed. _My god…he looks…he looks almost exactly like Raine. Raine…is he really…_

"Mr. Loire, this is Squall Leonhart, one of the top ranking SeeDs of Balamb Garden. Leonhart, this is Mr. Loire, President of Esthar." He said as he and Laguna stood from their seats to greet. Laguna held out his hand, and Squall hesitated to shake it first, but he did the respectable thing and shook the man's hand. Laguna closed his eyes and held on for a second. Squall raised an eyebrow and tugged back for the release of his hand. Laguna opened his eyes and let go of Squall's hand with an embarrassed chuckle.

The men all took their seats, and Squall tried to avoid eye contact with both men at all costs. Laguna's leg had begun cramping, but he fought hard against himself to beat the pain. Cid sat quietly, awaiting the conversation and questions Laguna might have had for the young Seed, but found himself waiting a great deal of time.

Finally, Laguna sat up and cleared his throat, "…So…Squall…What made you decide to become a SeeD?" _Squall? …Was it because she was so infatuated with the wind that she named him Squall? We never got a chance to talk about naming kids…so I guess…_

"…It wasn't a choice, really. Just something I had to do."

"What do you mean?"

"…Well sir, I never intentionally set out to become a SeeD." Squall said while facing him.

"…Is that so?"

"Yes." Squall said with a nod.

Laguna and Squall sat still for a few moments again, and Cid stood from his desk. "Would you two excuse me, I just remembered a few things I must run by Xu."

The two nodded and watched the headmaster leave from behind his desk and exit the room. Cid saw that Laguna might have wanted some privacy with the SeeD, for reasons unknown. Overcoming the fear and unlikelihood of Squall's ego being broken by the hateful words of Laguna, Cid excused himself from the room; he knew such thoughts were greatly exaggerated due to the fact that Laguna was indeed a good man.

Laguna looked at Squall and sighed, "…Why didn't you have a choice? Why were you sent here? How old are you?"

"…Excuse me?"

Laguna rubbed the back of his head and faced Squall once again, "I'm sorry…really. I'm just…a little confused."

You can say that again…

"I'm really interested to hear about you, seeing that you managed to get valuable information and survive the wrath of Galbadia in one day."

It wasn't about the information… it was about Rinoa…

"I'm curious about where you're from. Any relatives?" Laguna chose his words carefully, and he secretly prayed for an answer from Squall. Squall sat up in his chair and leaned on his thighs. "What's the matter?" Laguna asked while leaning over to him trying to see if he had upset the young man for any reason.

"…I don't have any relatives."

"Are you serious?"

"…Yes. There aren't any relatives that I'm currently aware of. Now can you please make a point as to why you're questioning me!" Squall groaned and turned his face away. Laguna clearly understood his message and pulled back. He stood from his chair and sighed.

"…What about Raine Leonhart? Would you happen to know of her?"

Squall immediately looked up from the floor and back to the man that had forced him into an interrogation. He sat quiet and moved his eyes back to the floor. _Why does he know her name? How? _Squall forced his eyes to study Laguna once more and had rested on the man's face. The roundness and jolliness of his face, the black hair and dark brown eyes, the familiar nose… Squall gasped and looked away quickly.

"Do you know her?" Laguna asked him again.

Squall stared down into the floor and paced his breathing, "…No…not really, but I've…I've heard about her."

"…Oh really? What did you hear? …Possibly that she's your mother?"

"…Yes." Squall answered slowly, unsure if the man would surprise him with a trick question following his answer. "She was a citizen of Winhill, and had rebelled against Galbadia for a long time."

"…That's right. There was a raging battle, but the civilians could no longer hold them off. Because Raine assumed the role of leadership, she was…murdered before everyone else in Winhill as an example of what would happen if Deling were threatened again. The same thing had happened in Timber also, but years after this particular incident."

Squall sighed, placing his hand on his forehead, "How do you know all of this?"

"…I…"

"Sir!" An escort of Laguna's called as he opened the doors to Cid's office, "Sir, we must board soon. You have to be back in time for the meeting."

"…Oh. I almost forgot." Laguna said while looking back at his escort, Kiros.

"We should be leaving soon…" Kiros said again.

"I know, I know." Laguna said while rising from his chair. Squall hadn't dared to look at him; instead, he sat facing forward and staring away in his own daze. Laguna cleared his throat and touched Squall's shoulder, "Please come with me."

"What?" Squall said while looking up at Laguna.

"I would rather we talked away from Balamb Garden anyway. I really feel as though I should speak with you now, otherwise, I may never get another chance to talk to you again."

Squall brushed Laguna's hand from his shoulder, "I can't go anywhere… It's against orders."

"I'm sure your headmaster will understand. Now please, come with me."

Squall stared at the floor once again before standing to his feet and nodding to Laguna. "You're coming?"

"…Sure." Squall responded unenthusiastically. Laguna smiled and followed behind Kiros as they exited Cid's office.

* * *

Deling City during the day was a completely different city; it was boring because hardly anyone seemed to be awake. Rinoa looked out of the window in her room and sighed. She had hoped her father would send her off to Timber right away, but because the old man took his precious time making every single decision, she was forced to wait until he gave the okay and allowed her to go.

She stood from her window and walked to the door. If she couldn't travel to Timber just yet, then she would walk around the mansion and rediscover what it was that she disliked about it as a kid. When she opened the door, Angelo greeted her by placing a cold nose onto her calf. Rinoa smiled and bent down to comfort her companion with a pat on her head.

"Hey girl, how are you feeling today?" Rinoa said to her softly, and Angelo barked once. "Oh really? That's good." She smiled and rose from the floor, but before she could walk Angelo jumped up and gently pressed her paws into Rinoa's thighs with a soft whine. "…What's the matter?" Rinoa asked and looked down into Angelo's eyes. The dog barked a few more times and whined again.

"…If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were telling me you want something. …What is it, Angelo?" Angelo whined again and pushed her cold nose onto Rinoa's stomach. Rinoa laughed and scratched beneath the dog's mouth. "…It's Squall, isn't it? You miss him…don't you?" Just as Rinoa spoke about him, Angelo had barked again. She jumped down and happily pranced around in the hall. "You're so cute!" Rinoa cheered and opened her arms to Angelo. The dog ran over to receive affection from her owner.

"Rinoa." She heard her father call from down the hall.

"…Yes?" She answered while releasing Angelo and standing from the ground again. Finally Caraway appeared and stopped as he saw her with Angelo. He cleared his throat and fixed his tie, a habit of his that seemed to disturb Rinoa with each passing day.

"I am beginning preparations for your transportation to Timber. Care to join me over brunch?"

"…Okay."

* * *

In the dining room of the large Caraway Mansion sat father and daughter quietly enjoying a delightful meal. Rinoa sipped some orange juice from a tall glass and wiped her face with the napkin placed beside herself by some maid.

"…Aren't you forgetting something?"

"What is it, Rinoa?"

"…The plans?"

"That's right. I was just getting to it." He sipped from a glass of water and wiped his mouth as well. "…Rinoa, I need you to trust me when I tell you what kind of help you'll have to rebuild Timber."

"…Why don't you just tell me first?"

"…Very well. …Because there are very few survivors who are strong enough to fix the damages, I have decided to send my troops over to help aid in the reconstruction of Timber."

"Troops! No way!" She said while slamming her napkin onto the table.

"Rinoa, I'm sorry. It's the only way we can be of help. Because our war is over, we aren't under any threat by the other forces; therefore, I believe it will be easier to have the soldiers rebuild. Think about it? We're doing those civilians a favor. This is what we both want Rinoa; making our wrong into a right."

"…Those _soldiers _are the ones who attacked those people, what makes you think they would want to see them again?"

"They'll just have to understand."

"No! You can ask for help from a nation that thrives on building, like Fisherman's Horizon, or someplace else; maybe even Balamb!" Rinoa's excitement had caused him to stand from his seat and slam both hands onto the table in a mad fit.

"Don't you speak about Balamb to me, Rinoa! You ran away from me and hid yourself within that wretched military force! I know now without a doubt that the intruder was most likely from Balamb! You allowed him to get in and steal some of our plans, and he may have even learned the floor plan of the mansion. Am I right!"

"For your information, I was talking about Balamb City! Not Balamb Garden! Yes, the intruder did get in, but only to see how I was fairing. Maybe if you had taken me into the city in a less hostile manner, he wouldn't have had to sneak into this place! By the way, he wasn't even worried about you or your pathetic plans! He was trying to make sure you hadn't killed me! You're such a coward _dad_ that you ignore me just to be sure that you're the one who's safe!"

"…Rinoa."

"Don't do that! Don't you dare say my name! I hate you! You've always been that way to me!" She stood from the table and walked to the door.

"…You called me dad." He spoke and caused her to stop in her tracks. She closed her eyes and stood by the door.

"…Maybe if you would start acting like one, my saying it won't be a big deal to you!"

"Rinoa, please stop this. I don't want us to fall out, not when we've just begin speaking to one another after so many years."

"How can I when you don't even care about what I have to say! How can I possibly get along with you when you don't even listen to me? You're just ordering me around like one of your lifeless soldiers!"

"I'm sorry! Okay! I'm sorry! I'm not intentionally trying to be this way with you, Rinoa! I love you too much, Sweetheart! I just want the best for you! I'll do anything in my power to please you, but I know other ways that you may not understand right now…other ways that can get the job done."

She stood silent and allowed him to finish, "With all those troops aiding in the rebuilding of Timber, things will go much quicker and smoothly for everyone. The citizens won't have a reason to complain because we'll take care of them. I want them to know they can trust me. I just can't leave those people homeless. …Why won't you understand?"

She sighed and placed her hand on her forehead, "…Why didn't you just say that from the beginning…?"

"…I didn't get a chance to finish…"

She turned back to him from the door and smiled, "…I understand."

"…Now please. Will you finish your meal?"

"...Yes…dad."

The two of them smiled, and Rinoa had joined her father at the table for brunch once again.

* * *

Squall was taken onboard the airship that Laguna and his men had used to travel to Balamb. He was seated in the passenger's wing, and was told that the President would join him soon. He wondered how Laguna would have answered to him had he not been interrupted.

"Squall." Laguna said as he took the seat beside Squall and buckled himself inside. "We're about to take off momentarily. Have you ever been on one of these before?"

"…No."

"This will be the greatest experience in your life."

Squall rolled his eyes and sighed while facing the window, he could careless of such silly things. Laguna stared at him quizzically, but soon turned forward in anticipation of takeoff.

"Here we go!" He said and held on to his armrests. Squall frowned and placed his hand on his forehead. In an instant, the ship had emerged from the ground and boosted into the sky. Squall felt his stomach sink into his chair and he held onto his armrests for safety. He didn't know why, but the short event caused a smile to form across his lips. Laguna looked at him and smirked. "See? Even tough guys like you can't handle its force."

"Whatever." Squall said and forced the smile away.

When the airship had taken normal flight, Laguna stretched his arms and yawned a little. He turned to Squall and smiled, "Do you need anything?"

…_Yes…an answer._ Squall rubbed his hands together and looked at Laguna, "…What were you going to say to me earlier?" Squall had asked.

"…Um…Earlier?" Laguna scratched his head and looked away. "What were we talking about again?"

Squall sighed and hit his forehead while shaking his head. _I'm on an airship bound for Esthar with a complete moron._

"Ah, yes. I remember now. We were talking about Raine!" He cleared his throat and faced forward, staring into the back of another seat. "I hadn't always been the President of Esthar you know. I had a real life before I accepted this title."

Laguna turned to Squall, "I was a soldier for the Esthar military for a very long time. Because I was no longer a novice, and had proven myself to many in battles against Galbadia…I was sent along with a few others to the Western Continent to keep an eye on Galbadia's forces. There were complaints of disturbances around the area about some new types of soldiers making threats against Galbadia. It was quite unclear what the meaning of this new type of soldiers was back at that time, but now it's understood that those people were actually the earliest SeeDs."

He turned to Squall to see if his reaction had changed, but Squall remained interested in his story, and so he continued, "Anyway, everyone mistook them for us and Galbadia began dispatching troops all over the Western Continent in search for our men. That's when my fleet and I decided to station amongst the towns in order to report Galbadia's statuses back to Esthar. We wanted to protect those people from both SeeD and Galbadia. Also, back then no one knew how SeeD actually worked. People assumed them all to be a bunch of low life mercenaries who attacked anyone for money or what have you…but it was greatly misunderstood."

He took a deep breath, "…Well, I went to Winhill and stood there while stories of the war between SeeD and Galbadia took place. Eventually, me and every other soldier in Winhill began to accept the place as a second home. It was quite peaceful and very different than Esthar. I found myself enjoying my stay."

"…Raine?" Squall asked as Laguna paused.

"Yes, yes, I was getting to her." Laguna said while looking at Squall and laughing, "I'm sorry, I know I tend to talk too much sometimes." He swallowed his breath and began to speak again, "During my stay, I met Raine. A wonderful woman…" Laguna quieted his voice as he continued, "…and you look so much like her."

He turned his face away from Squall and sighed, "…She and I…we fell in love…so…there's no doubt in my mind that…you are…" Laguna forced himself to look at Squall as he spoke, "…my son."

Squall sat silent, unable to think or move. He had faced forward and was looking at the back of the seat before him, just as Laguna had done sometime before, but his silence made Laguna uncomfortable.

"Squall…? Are you alright?" Laguna asked, but Squall remained silent, "Squall?" Squall was lost in thought. _I don't know what to say to him, I don't know what to do. What am I supposed to do! Just leave me alone…_ "Squall?" Laguna called again.

"I heard you the _first_ time!" Squall yelled as he released himself from the seatbelt and jumped up from his seat. He quickly walked out of the passenger's room and left Laguna sitting in his own silence.

Squall paced back and forth in the walkway right outside of the room. He rubbed his forehead and sighed. In a way…I already knew what to expect…but…I hadn't prepared myself incase it were actually true. I wonder…did he…did he know about me? Did he purposely leave me behind!

Squall rammed his fist into the steel wall of the airship several times before resting his head against it, and feeling tears escape his eyes. I always assumed them both to be dead…

"Squall…I'm sorry." Laguna said as he exited the passenger's room and walked toward Squall. He placed his hand on Squall's shoulder, but Squall shook it off again. "Will you _listen _to me?"

"I _am _listening to you! What do you want me to say! You expected me to celebrate because you're my father? No, I am _not _going to just run to you and pretend to be fine! I don't even know you! I don't know _anything_ about you or _Raine_! For all I know, you could've abandoned her when you learned she was pregnant! Who are _you_ to try and act as if everything is okay?"

"…If you would calm down and ask, maybe I can give you the answers you need."

Squall forced his tears to cease and looked at Laguna. Laguna smiled and pulled his son into an embrace. Squall suddenly felt something from the older man. Whether it was natural instincts of a bond between father and son that had completely disoriented he and Laguna, or just the fact that they were flying in the air so high and could not keep their balance; Squall was unable to answer his own thoughts; instead, he let himself feel the security from the adult that held onto him now.

* * *


	24. Utile Affiliation

_**Clash of the Gardens**_

**_

* * *

_**

**_Utile Affiliation_ **

* * *

****

A few days had passed since Squall left Balamb Garden with Laguna, and the others were becoming worried about him. They each annoyed Xu into asking the Headmaster about his whereabouts until he would give in and answer her questioning. Xu finally got Cid to confess that Squall had taken a ride with Laguna and had not returned to Balamb, but he was not expected to return so soon anyway. Satisfied with the little information that was given to them, they each continued on to their daily routines around Garden.

It was later on that day when Selphie received a call from Trabia Garden, and ever since the call, she had been staying more to herself. Unable to withstand depression, Selphie decided to tell them the painful news.

Selphie found them standing near the directory in a group, a place in which became habitual whenever the objectives for the day had been completely. Zell had wondered what took Selphie so long to join them, and just as he looked up to see if he could scan her out from the other people walking around, he saw her approaching them with a smile. Sure Selphie was smiling, but it was a façade, in order to keep them from knowing how she truly felt about her news.

She smiled, "Hey guys, I have to tell you all something."

"What is it, Selphie?" Zell asked with a little concern in his voice.

"…I'm going to have to go back to Trabia soon."

"Why?" They each replied.

"…A few days ago, some SeeDs from Trabia contacted Headmaster Cid. They said that Kent left Trabia on a mission and hasn't returned since. …While he's taken over most of the things that Headmaster Martine left behind, everything else has been chaotic and the poor guy's probably just had enough. They said that there's someone named Nida trying to take over for him, but he hasn't been known for long so they want someone who was beside Martine for a very long time to come back and help take care of everyone. Because of my experience, they want me to return to give a helping hand…right away."

Zell smirked, "…I forgot you aren't a member of Balamb, but it sure feels like it now."

Irvine scratched the side of his cheek and smiled, "Hey, you're not alone Selphie. I'll have to go right back to Galbadia to make my resigning official."

"…Do you think they'll let you go so easily?" Selphie asked while facing him.

"If they don't allow me leave, I'll get out of the door before they can stop me."

"I hope you're not lying about this Mr. Kinneas, otherwise we'll have to send you back as one of those soldiers we recently sent back that were kept as prisoners." Quistis said seriously.

"Relax, Quisty, I'm not going-"

"Quisty!" She complained while folding her arms.

"Whoa…hehe…err…sorry. I don't know what came over me-"

"Oh I'll show you-"

"Hey, It just came natural to me! I'm sorry!" Irvine said as he threw up his hands defensively.

"Aww, I'm gonna miss you guys!" Selphie said while pulling Zell, Quistis, and Irvine into a group hug. They all smiled and laughed a little, but Quistis made sure her arm didn't touch Irvine's in the embrace.

* * *

Squall had stayed within the Presidential Residence in Esthar for the last couple of days. Ever since he and Laguna arrived in Esthar, Laguna had been in meeting after meeting for business unknown to all. He had patiently waited several days for a chance to speak with his father about the past.

As he thought and replayed in his mind that he had a father now, he found himself not wanted to believe it were true. As much as he wanted to know about his past, he didn't want to dig deeper. Squall felt he would discover something about himself he would regret ever wanting to know. What is was, he had no clue. After much dedicated thinking, he decided it would be for the best if he learned as much as he could from Laguna; however, there was no way Squall would bring himself to call the man his father just yet. The feeling was unreal.

Squall sat in his room and studied the furniture all around. Esthar was indeed a high tech city, but some of the equipment he found there, like the hovering seat that delivered he and the president safely to the residence, was utterly insignificant. The city had everything, but nothing of interest to Squall; it lacked a Training Center. If there were a Training Center, Esthar would have been perfect. Squall had thought to himself as he sat in his chair. He sighed and stood to his feet.

"…I guess this is better than being glued to Balamb Garden…" He said while stretching his arms out. He received a knock on his door, "Squall?"

"…Yes?"

"It's me, Laguna."

"Come in." Squall said and lowered his arms. Laguna opened the door and walked inside with a grin.

"How do you like Esthar so far?"

"…It's okay, I guess."

"You guess?" He nodded his head and turned away from Laguna. "Come on, it has to be a little better than that? Haven't you seen the sights yet? If not-"

"I saw just about everything because Ward had the pleasure of getting the entire day off from you." Squall said plainly and sat on his large bed.

"…Ward. I _knew_ he was too eager to take up my offer." Laguna said while rubbing his chin.

_Though I can hardly blame the guy. _Squall thought as he smiled to himself.

"Oh well." Laguna sighed and walked toward Squall, "I have the rest of today off. If you want to go out and talk, we can do so."

"…Honestly, we don't really have to leave. I just want to know about my mother… about Raine."

Laguna frowned inside, but was able to force a smile, "…She was a very proud woman. She was also brave enough to accept strangers into Winhill. By the way, everyone in Winhill looked up to her too. They were fascinated by the fact that she was still a young woman, yet had gained so much respect from everyone… I guess _that_ and every other reason…was why I fell for her. Before I went to Winhill, I thought I knew everything, I thought I had all of the skills to survive…but being with Raine, if but for that short amount of time, I realized I knew nothing." Laguna said as he took the empty chair in Squall's room. Squall saw him move, but had not paid attention to him; instead, his mind was elsewhere.

_Why does this sound familiar to me?_

"Not only did I learn things from her, but I understood her in every way possible, and she understood me."

…_That's right… _Squall smiled and looked at the floor. _It sounds like Rinoa and me. _

"Eventually, I showed her and the other townspeople techniques for scaring away enemies and such. They were all grateful for my input; although, my comrades didn't like the idea of villagers learning our secrets. Anyway, after some time had passed, we received word that it was safe to return home. We were told that Deling had ordered his troops back to Galbadia, and our stations in the towns were futile. So…it was back to Esthar I went."

Laguna's big eyes had saddened, and he frowned as his eyes dropped to the floor. "…Two years after I returned to Esthar…I found out that Winhill had been attacked, and suffered a few casualties. Little did I know…Raine was one of those few. When I found out that Raine died in the attack, I argued that there should be protection for those survivors in Winhill. Because I was so dedicated to helping out Winhill, I grew in ranks and soon…I became the President of Esthar. The people recognized me because I first recognized them. My proposals were applauded, and eventually were practiced throughout Esthar and wherever else we had occupied." He took a breath and smirked, "Haven't you ever wondered just why Winhill hasn't been in any serious danger for the last decade or so?"

Now that he mentions it…I haven't heard much about Winhill…but only about that one particular attack. Is that why is seemed to be isolated? What kind of treatment are they receiving from Esthar? Why wasn't the public informed of this movement?

"Because I was not around at the time of the attack, I felt that Winhill deserved the extra protection from future attacks. It was kept confidential to further aid the protection of Winhill's people.

Squall's eyes shot up from the floor, and he glared at Laguna. "What about Raine? Did you leave her when you found out she was expecting?"

"No. I had no idea Raine was pregnant when I left. If I had known about it, I wouldn't have left in the first place."

"…You had to follow your orders, under any circumstance."

"…That's true, but are you trying to say that I made it my excuse to leave her alone in Winhill with a baby on the way?"

"I wouldn't know."

"Squall, don't draw that conclusion. I didn't know Raine was pregnant…I'm not even certain if she discovered it at that time, herself."

"…Even so, it was wrong for you to leave her."

"As I said before…I didn't want to… I only found out about you a few days ago, when you were in Winhill with the others. I had looked up information about you, and found out when you were born…and by whom. The report stated that you were approximately one year and a few months, and that your mother was Raine, but no father had been documented. When I calculated your age and Raine's birth cycle…I realized I had to be your father seeing that I was the only one Raine was ever with…and the time fit so perfectly. I knew without a doubt that I was your father. Squall, you look so much like your mother…you don't ever have to wonder how she might have looked."

"…Don't you have any pictures?"

"…Not really, but I'm sure Raine has a few of herself back in Winhill. Maybe someday we can go there together and look for those pictures?"

"…Maybe." Squall sighed and folded his arms.

The two had fallen silent and Squall went into deep thought about all that he had just heard of his past. _…He was following orders, and so…he left her behind. Following orders? If I ever had to leave for some reason, would…would anything like this happen to Rinoa? …I would never choose work over Rinoa…I care about her too much to let something like that happen, no I won't allow it! I could never forgive myself if Rinoa died. …Squall, what are you thinking? Rinoa…she's…she's too strong on her own; I know she'd be okay if I weren't there, but then…I can't really trust her on her own and alone._

"Squall, are you alright? You seem a bit worried…"

"Rinoa." He said instantaneously, but he hadn't intentionally planned to speak of her aloud to Laguna.

"…Rinoa?" Laguna repeated for him.

"It's nothing." Squall said, obviously embarrassed. He rose from his bed and paced the floor.

"…Rinoa Heartilly, right?"

Squall stopped and looked at Laguna, "…Probably."

"…Ah…so you plunged yourself into battles and Caraway's Mansion…for her?"

"What do you care!" Squall angrily yelled while giving Laguna his full attention. Laguna smiled and rubbed his forehead.

"…I understand."

"…What are you talking about?" Squall asked as he calmed himself down.

Laguna smirked and stood from his seat, "…I know exactly how you feel about her, Squall and that's all I'll say, because I'm certain you already know the rest."

Squall stood speechless as he stared at Laguna.

* * *

The next day, Irvine's train ride to Timber, which he grew accustomed to, ended after what felt like a few minutes of travel. He stretched his body as he stood from his seat, then gathered his case and exited the Train. He remembered there was a certain stop he had to make before he could go back to Deling City to speak with Caraway. Now that the General was in charge, he knew his resigning would be taken rather lightly.

The others all were skeptical about his departure at first, but soon realized that Irvine was of no threat to anyone but himself. It would be he that would face the wrath of the new president for wanting out of such a vast and powerful military; nevertheless, Irvine still kept his high hopes and decided to travel onward anyhow.

He and Selphie had left the same day, but she was picked up by vessel from the shores of Balamb Garden; the fancy way of leaving the scene, Irvine had thought to himself. Everyone thanked her for her help and saw her off, and then shooed him from the Garden. He was thankful to see that Zell and Quistis had eased on him, and waved him off at least.

"Now…where could she be?" He said as he walked into Timber once again. It was filled with men working on rebuilding the Pub and a few other buildings that had been knocked down. Irvine noticed that there was construction underway for another building as well as a small area where the children tugged on the shirt tales of workingmen and pointed around every so often. Irvine smiled and looked around once more.

* * *

"Guys, don't overdo it. We've already got three people on the injury list, we don't need anymore!" Rinoa yelled out as she watched a few men pick up scattered rubble from the damaged Timber Maniacs building.

Irvine ran through the town until he heard her voice above everything else, and when he saw her, he called out to her as if he were her long lost relative. "Rinoa!"

"What the…" She said as she turned around to find out who had called her name. When she saw that it was only Irvine, she seemed to become a little disappointed, but she managed to smile and walk over to him anyway. "Irvine, what are you doing here?"

"…On my way back to Galbadia to speak with the General."

"Oh yeah? About what?"

"I'm quitting the army. If there was one thing I admired about Seifer…it was his eye for soldiers. He told me before that I wouldn't always be in the army. I guess I'm starting to realize it's true."

"…Seifer."

"Yeah, it's been awhile since anyone brought him up, hasn't it?"

"You're right. It's almost as if he was forgotten."

"That guy…he would've hated to be forgotten…but there isn't a thing he can do about it. Anyway, I was just checking up on you for everyone else. They begged me to come here and talk to you, Rinoa. Back in Balamb Garden, you're truly missed."

"…Really?"

"Why would I make that up?"

"…I wouldn't see any reason for you to make up something like that, but…it's good to know they're still thinking of me." …Everyone else and…Squall… Rinoa's cheek turned a bright red and she quickly turned away from Irvine to hide her blushing, "…How is everyone?"

He smiled, "They're fine actually. Quistis and Zell are handling their duties as SeeDs, and Selphie's left for Trabia."

"…Trabia? I hope her trip went safely."

"She should be okay."

"…Irvine?"

"What is it, did I leave out someone?"

"_Yeah_!" Rinoa said wanting to resist the urge to push him back a few feet. "…Um. What about Squall?" She asked nervously.

"…Squall?" Irvine chuckled and touched the tip of his hat, "To tell you the truth, I really don't know how he is. All I know is that he's in Esthar right now."

"Esthar!" She exclaimed.

"Yeah. They said he took the Ragnorak Airship with President Loire, and they flew to Esthar. That's about it."

"…But why?"

"I have no idea."

Squall…Rinoa mentally sighed to herself and looked at the ground.

"Hey, cheer up, Rinoa. I'm sure he's okay. What could possibly happen to that guy anyway."

* * *

"_You're sure you don't need a lift on the Airship?"_

"_I'll be fine, but…thanks anyway."_

"_Okay, it's your lost."_

"_Not really…"_

"…_You know you want to fly again."_

"_Whatever."_

_Laguna laughed and nodded his head, "Very well…and as far as Cid knows, you're still in Esthar."_

"…_Thank you." …Dad_

* * *


	25. Love

_**Clash of the Gardens**_ _**

* * *

**__**For her…For Love **_

* * *

**__**

In Esthar, Squall had found a train that seemed to fit his plan very conveniently; it was a train route from Esthar to Timber with only one stop, which was FH. Although the train ride was long itself, Squall put his mind on his main motivation which would help to level out the disadvantages; Rinoa. He looked out his window and saw only the heavy waves of the ocean. Only mist and nothing more could be seen out in the view.

The train had already passed FH and was expected to touch land in less than two hours.

He studied his Griever ring and smiled to himself as the train sped across the tracks. Squall had quietly stayed in his own world as he continued to examine Griever. …

_You've been with me all this time, and yet…I haven't given you a single turn for comfort. Ever since Rinoa came into the picture…I haven't really given you that much attention. Even if you were with me for most of my life, you still allowed me to see that I needed someone…and someone needs me now. If you were to forever play as my guardian, you wouldn't have allowed me to seek out any other help…you wouldn't have allowed me to meet Rinoa. Although you're strong enough with me and on your own, you're kind enough to let someone replace you. Griever…I thank you. I think I've learned what it means to have faith and trust in someone else for a change… I understand that I need to have contact with someone other than myself; I see that now. That's why I…I have to pass you on to her… Maybe you can help her to understand me a little more…_

_I leave her to you…_

He kissed his ring and clasped it inside his palm.

* * *

Rinoa walked with the children and allowed them to tug onto her clothing, as they each explained how they wanted their brand new playground to be. The little girls danced around Rinoa and cheered together playfully as Rinoa listened carefully to their little ideas. Rinoa smiled and wrote down every single detail from the children's mouths.

"A swing and a slide!-"

"And a pony!"

"We can't get a pony!" The little girls argued.

"Ms. Rinoa, can we get a pony!"

"…Uh…" Rinoa looked around for an excuse, but when she looked up, she saw a few soldiers fighting in a brawl. "Hey! …You girls stay right here and don't move, okay?"

"Okay!" The girls said together, and Rinoa ran over to help break up the fighting.

"NO! Stop, don't fight! Stop fighting!" Rinoa yelled out to them as she ran over. A few men held her back and allowed the two soldiers to wrestle on the ground. "Why aren't you all doing anything to stop this!"

"He was hogging all the water, let the guy learn his lesson like a real man!"

"No! I won't! There are more important things than this, and what's more…there are kids around! Can't you guys just settle this another way?"

"Shut up!" A few soldiers yelled at Rinoa.

"Help!" The defenseless soldier screamed as he was pinned to the ground. Rinoa looked around at them as they cheered on his opponent to finish him off. "No! Don't do this! Help!" He screamed aloud again.

"Leave him alone! Rinoa screamed and fought threw the men that were trying to hold her back.

"Grab her!" Someone shouted and they all listened. She screamed and had tried to summon a thunder spell, but was unsuccessful because someone had placed his hand over her mouth. She tried to fight back but gradually lost her will to defend herself, and she fell unconscious.

Rinoa had felt herself awakening from her unconsciousness. She reached her hand to her ring, fearing whatever she opened her eyes to wouldn't be too hard to witness. She clutched her ring, but surprisingly felt one other ring there also. She hurriedly opened her eyes and sat up from the ground to study her necklace. To her surprise, Griever was on back onto her necklace in its former glory. She felt tears welding up in her eyes and she looked down at Griever, so near to her mother's ring. Rinoa felt herself crying steaming tears uncontrollably.

_Squall…you're here. You're really here. You saved me again, but…where are you?_ She looked up and forced herself to stand from the ground. She noticed that she had been outside of Timber and lying on the grass. When she headed back to Timber, she paced through the city in hopes that she would see him soon. She stopped to take a breath, and suddenly…above all other things, persons, and noises, she heard…_him_.

"If you want to behave like animals, you're to be treated like animals!" He yelled to the Galbadian soldiers, and each of them stood, saluting him. When Rinoa saw this, she had to smile. She saw that he had knocked over a water jug, and few soldiers seemed to be muddy. Perhaps they fought over the ground water? She laughed and covered her mouth. "Back to work!" He ordered them and watched as they all saluted together again, "Yes, sir!" They said and resumed to the reconstruction of Timber.

He sighed and placed his hand on his forehead, then turned away from them.

Rinoa looked at him and wiped her eyes before running to him. He looked up and saw her running in full speed toward him and prepared himself to capture her in his arms. Squall caught Rinoa as she jumped, and he held onto her tightly. "Rinoa." He said while squeezing his arms around her even more."

"Oh, Squall…you're here." She said in a soft whimper. For the first time, Squall was not upset to hear her crying. He wiped the tears away from her eyes and smiled. She cried, "You saved me. I don't know what would have happened to me."

He didn't want to think about it. He had arrived in Timber twenty minutes ago, and wondered where all the people might have vanished. As he walked, he heard a group of men cheering as if celebrating their victory, but when he was able to get closer, he began to hear a woman's scream. Quickly, he drew his sword and ran to the mass of people.

Outside the damaged Pub and near the train tracks, Squall saw a large group of soldiers beating another man, and a woman was being pushed around. When she screamed again, he knew it was Rinoa. "Rinoa!" He called out to her and ran down the stairs, jumping to skip a few at the bottom. "Rinoa!"

He called out to her as he knocked a few soldiers out with the hilt of his Revolver. One of the men tried to tackle him, but Squall pushed him off and had cast tornado on the mass. Watching most of the men fly a few yards away had satisfied him enough to grab Rinoa from the midst of the danger and escape. He ran with her on his back and looked for a safe place for her. But everything was either destroyed or broken down, and the Galbadian soldiers could have easily discovered her. Squall decided to rest her on the outskirts of town, and in a grassy field; He knew no one would run so far in search of her.

He took off his ring and connected it back to her necklace, where it belonged. "Rinoa…" He whispered and removed his glove to touch her face with his bare hand.

Some cries from the men far away snapped him out his daze with Rinoa, and he slid on his glove to prepare to battle them once again. Squall had no intention of taking any of their lives, seeing that they were helping to rebuild Timber. He wanted to have no involvement should there have been a shortage of construction soldiers. He looked back at her once more and frowned a little, then took off to face the soldiers.

"There he is over there!"

"That's right." He mumbled and ran to them, striking a taller man in the jaw with his fist. The force had knocked back the tall man onto a few of the others that followed. Again, more soldiers threw themselves onto Squall, but were knocked back with brute force. Squall looked around and saw that most of the soldiers had given up after his wind spell, but a few continued to challenge him. He smirked and held up his gunblade, but the last few backed down.

When he saw they had given up, he placed the dull side of his gunblade on his shoulder, and had placed a hand on his hip.

The soldiers had either fallen out, or gathered in a huddle before Squall and he looked down on them angrily. He sheathed the revolver away and folded his arms.

"…If Rinoa doesn't wake up, I'll kill each and every one of you. Rinoa or anyone else of this town should not be hurt or harmed in any way."

A soldier managed to speak up, "We weren't trying to hurt the girl. We were pushing her out of the way because we wanted our water."

"Yeah!" The others joined.

"Water?" Squall looked around and saw the jug titled over on the ground, "…There's your water." He said as he pointed. They looked and saw the jug on the ground; most of the water had already soaked.

"Hey, what happened to it?"

"If you're going to behave like animals, you're to be treated like animals!" He scowled at them. "Now…get back to work!"

"Yes, sir!" They hurriedly scrambled off and cooperated peacefully with one another. Squall sighed into his hand and turned away from the fleeting mass of men. _…Rinoa, I'm so sorry I got here so late._

Just as he thought about her, he heard sounds of running feet toward him. When he looked up, he saw Rinoa running in full speed. _Rinoa!_

If one thing was for sure, those soldiers wouldn't be alive had she not awakened. Squall smirked and touched her face as she quieted her crying.

"I don't know what would have happened to me, Squall." She whispered and without warning, Squall hungrily kissed Rinoa's lips. She felt her body relaxing in his arms, allowing him to take control. He slowly pulled away from her and sighed, "…I don't want to think about it. All I know is that I got here right on time and that's all."

She smiled and rested her head against his chest. "Thank you."

"…You're welcome." He responded softly and rubbed his hand through her hair.

**

* * *

****Epilogue **

* * *

****

_The day finally arrived when Timber received its independence. They no longer relied on Galbadia for its support. After its reconstruction, the town somehow attracted more people, and thus, it is able to form its own militia should there have been any disturbance. Still, some say that an elite force secretly protects Timber from the outskirts, but no one dared to try and discover fearing they would be treated as an intruder. The people of Timber could now live out there remaining lives in peace and quietly to themselves._

_Because his son had someone special to live in Timber, Laguna saw that Timber got the best Treatment just as Winhill had. Esthar secretly watched over Timber as it slept, ate, and continued on its daily routine…_

_Every military force except Galbadia has signed a peace treaty, and each have vowed to be of aid should there be any disturbance. Galbadia has settled down a great deal, but it is in no way harmful to the other forces; Caraway has kept his promise to his daughter and is managing to continue in Galbadia's new attitude. After Deling's rule, Galbadia has yet to be trusted by anyone. Because of Caraway's new way of leadership, Irvine was allowed to resign. Irvine has now gone to Trabia in hopes of starting fresh in a new land. Trabia has a new headmaster, although he's very young and shy, he has done his best to ensure the safety of his SeeD. Offered the title excessively, Selphie turned down the role as the headmaster and allowed Nida to have the position, she couldn't be more proud of his success. Kent Hannon had never returned from his mission, and it was discovered that he left without resigning properly._

_Headmaster Cid continues to operate Balamb Garden, even though he has to admit every now and then that he is getting too old for the job; nevertheless, he remains in his right mind as a father figure to his students._

_Quistis was promoted to become an instructor, along with Xu, but Xu settled for the desk job near Headmaster Cid's office._

_Zell was able to go on a few missions, even when Squall returned from his suspension, and the entire world knew ever detail about his mission because he proudly announced it everywhere he went._

_Rinoa was able to give the people of Timber the freedom they always wanted. She now has no reason to shade any more tears, all her debts have been paid off with the successful renovation of Timber._

_And Squall…_

* * *

Headmaster Cid sat in his office, cooped up behind his desk, in deep thought. _Over the last several months, Squall's behavior has changed drastically. …He seems to smile a bit more than usual too. What happened to him, I wonder. Oh well…I think he's matured and deserves that promotion._

Cid pushed down on his intercom transmitter and cleared his throat as the announcement bell chimed. "Good morning everyone, pardon the interruption. Squall would you please come to my office, right away, Squall. Thank you for your attention." He released the button and sighed.

Finally…I'll be able to bestow the ranking of Commander on him. He's well earned it…and it's about time we had a reason to celebrate something.

He received a knock on his door. "Squall, come in." The headmaster said, but when the door open, Xu peaked inside with a slight grin. "Xu?"

"Yes, sir…" She said while stepping inside.

"I thought I called for Squall."

"I know, sir…it's just that…"

"…Well?"

"…Squall isn't here."

"…What do you mean he _isn't_ here?"

"He's not here…in Balamb, sir."

"Why not?"

"Well…" Xu walked around the desk and whispered into Cid's ears. Cid's mouth dropped and he rubbed his forehead.

"Squall?" He asked unsurely.

"Yes, sir." She said as she backed away from the headmaster's side.

"Unbelievable…"

The Headmaster laughed and scratched his forehead, "…Just when I thought he deserved it…he goes and does this to me…"

"Deserved what, sir?"

"I was going to appoint him to Commander, your old position, but now…"

"You still can." Xu said trying to be sure he wouldn't reappoint her to the dreadful title of Commander.

"…Maybe." Cid said with a smile. "But…I can't believe he's really…"

"Yeah…"

* * *

"Rinoa, you have a guest, honey."

"Thanks chief!" Rinoa ran hastily downstairs and nodded to the old woman she thought had died in the missile attack. She walked to the door and opened it slowly, "Squall? I thought you left an hour ago!"

"…I…became distracted." He said seriously while looking at the ground. Rinoa placed her finger beneath his chin and lifted up his head to meet his eyes.

"What's wrong?" She asked with concern.

He sighed and touched her hand, "…I can't stop thinking about you, and as much as I would like to leave…I can't force myself to get on that train."

"…Squall." She said and moved her hand onto his face. He blushed a little, and nervously avoided eye contact with her.

"…I've never been more confused in my life."

"…Relax, just tell me what you're feeling."

"I'm not sure."

Rinoa smiled and embraced him, "You can tell me."

"…I know…" He wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes, "Rinoa…" She held onto him tightly and listened to his heart beating in his chest. It pounded multiple times within every second.

"…You're scared…"

He nodded his head slowly and whispered, "…Yes."

"Why?" She asked him, her voice mimicking his.

"Because I…" He paused and took a deep breath, "…I love you."

"Squall." She spoke softly while rising from his chest. Rinoa stared into his eyes, deep into his eyes, and smiled. "…I love you too." She said with that same smile, and Squall immediately sighed in relief. The two embraced once again, but this time, they embraced with their hearts and souls.

After so many battles and journeys, Squall had finally found where he belonged and was needed. To be by Rinoa's side forever had replaced every last one of his past fears. Despite learning of his father's existence, he only wanted to be with her even more because she had opened his eyes to a new world, and she would continue to show him a side of this world that he had been oblivious of for so many years of his life.

He rubbed his face against her hair and smiled. _You mean the world to me, Rinoa. I could careless about everything else… as long as you're here with me. I'll do anything…for you._

Rinoa snuggled against his chest as the feathers of his coat tickled her face. She smiled and squeezed her arms around him to embrace every ounce of his being within her grasp. Squall took in the scent of her sweet smelling hair and pulled her body closer to his own, hoping that she would never disappear from his sight.

"Woof!"

"Angelo?" Squall said as he looked down at the ground. Angelo wagged her tail happily and barked again. Rinoa smiled and turned to her companion.

"Oh that's right Squall--" Rinoa smiled, "Angelo learned a new trick, wanna see?"

He slapped his forehead, "Oh brother...here we go again with the _tricks_."

Rinoa laughed and kissed Squall on his cheek, "You're so _adorable_!"

Squall folded his arms and looked at the ground with a sigh, "...Whatever." Rinoa said in unison with him. He chuckled softly and shook his head.

Rinoa stepped away from him and smiled, "Hey Squall, how _did _you get that uniform? I want to know, tell me!"

With seriousness written in his eyes, Squall took a deep breath and pulled Rinoa closer while whispering, "Rinoa, I'll to tell you _everything_ you want to know." Rinoa leaned in and pressed her lips against his softly.

"…And I'll listen to everything you have to say, Squall." She smiled.

* * *

_History has written that in these battles, many brave young men and women fought and died to protect what was right in his or her own eyes. Because each Garden and military force participated in this war, it was dubbed the Clash of the Gardens, and included a list of each soldier and SeeD._

_Even though he caused most of the war because of his great greed, Vinzer Deling's name was written as only a mere casualty of war, and not as he had wished the world would remember him. The lifelong President of Galbadia had his life taken by none other than Seifer Almasy. Because of this, Seifer's name was honored, despite his participation in the missiles sent to Timber._

_In this war, fears were faced, and destinies were lived; love was lost and discovered, but true peace had prevailed, nevertheless…_

_**The End**_

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**Author's Play House: (haha, I'm silly…)**

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**Hello, yay, I finished! lol. Read and Review, tell me what you think!**

**Here's every detailed original Author's Corner I've ever written. (Not very exciting, is it? Oh well, I like it!) lol **

_Author's Reflections:_ I'm having so much fun writing this. Once I start writing, I can't stop. I'm just sorry that it's long. lol Anyway, I'd like to thank my first reviewer, Leanne Ashley. I'm glad you like the story so far, and I'm trying to make it smoother than the first part. Since I'm starting up school again, I won't be able to update it until a holiday or something. Don't worry. I won't abandon it now! LoL Thanks again, and if anybody else would feel free to R&R, that would be great.

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The Author's Corner: Hi everyone, sorry about the long delay. Thanks to all my reviewers, I hope this chapter satisfies you all for now. You guys should expect to see this story finished during Spring Break. I'll try my best to make it as satisfying as possible, please let me know what you think of this chapter. Remember, spring break isn't that far away! ;) Special thanks to Karla3 and FloralBlackMoon, & also Leanne Ashley  Thanks everyone, and enjoy! R&R! SOS, lol.

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**_Author's Reflections: _**

Finally! Finally! Thanks everyone for being so patient. I'd like to thank all of my reviewers for their reviews. And to answer a certain question, yes I will write other stories besides this one. I'm just too busy with school all of the time, it's a mess.

I hope this chapter is okay. I'm a little nervous about it, so why don't you guys just tell me what you think? Please R&R. And I'll hope to update the final part really soon. (Like sometime this week, probably.)

_**Thanks List & Comments: **_

lady-rinoa- Yeah, I know she's a little immature, but honestly I think she's funny this way. I hope she's serious enough for you in this part. Thank you!

Omega Gilgamesh- My Part two uploaded wrong. Any mistake that happens more than 15 times is due to the uploading system. I'll back over and correct my mistakes later, but thanks for telling me. And yeah, she's a crybaby sometimes…well, all the time, but this part should really help you to see why I made the way she is. And about the long chapters…I started it with a long part so I decided to keep it long throughout the entire story. Lol, I know, it's bad, but I just couldn't help myself! Thanks for your honesty! (those were horrible errors I made…) Just so you know, I'm thinking about republishing this story and chopping it up as you suggested…but probably later on.

IttanMomen- Hehehe, thank you! I've been writing another one and I've already started typing it up. I'll give more details once I've finished this one. Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed this part just like you did with the others.

Pretty like Drugs- I leave you hangin no more, lol. Thanks!

Rin Seren- Thanks, I've really worked hard on this one. And I can only update during my breaks. (Right now, I'm on Spring Break, so I'm out for a week, woo!)

My story will come to an end soon. Not to sure, but there's a possibility that a 6th chapter will happen. Once again, Thank you and I hope you guys like this part. I really had fun writing it too.

_**Author's Corner: **_

Hi everyone, the final chapter will follow soon. Hey, thanks for all those Reviews again! -.-

Rin Seren—Wow, you were up that late reading! I'm done writing before that time, and call it a night. (…Or call it a morning, because I get done writing around 2 or 3am. That's bad, I know.) Hey, I hope you like this chapter…and it's terribly long because I tried to fit everything inside, however…its how it is now…lol Now it's summertime, so I get to party all the time…at least until I'm finished writing. Hehe. I hope you have a great summer too.

IttanMomen- You baked cookies? For _me!_ Yay! I'm so happy! lol Thanks for your reviews, they make me feel really great about doing what I do. I always work harder when I know I can't let people down, and you're one of those people. Oh yeah, I'm glad you like my newest story. Your review(s) are awesome, thanks! (Hey, I'm going to update it just as soon as I finish this one too. So be on a look out. Haha.

Breath of fire—I know, it's really long. Honestly, I hadn't realized it was so long until I posted it up. I'm just glad people like it enough to read through.

I'm also glad that you like it so far.

Pretty like Drugs – I didn't make you wait too long, did I? I hope you liked this chapter too!

I love knowing that I made someone smile. Hehe! And as I said before, I will have the final chapter posted up soon…but I need to work on it, so let me get to work now!

Thanks again!

**_Author's Reflections:_**

_I am so sorry about the long delay. Things just haven't been going right for me lately, but alas I managed to bring forth the conclusion. _

_I'd like to thank everyone who has read and reviewed this story. I had a great time writing for the game I still love to play. It was a long journey for me also... My writing style gradually changed…I noticed such when I took a little time to read through the story for myself. I'm glad I've had so many people to actually take some time and read. _

_I hope this final part doesn't disappoint, as it was more difficult for me to work under serious circumstances, but anyway its here finally! _

_Here's a thank you list to everyone who reviewed me: (in alphabetical order…obviously. Hehe)_

_**Breath of fire -Let me know what you think about the rest, Thanks!**_

_**FloralBlackMoon -Thanks, hope you like the shortcut!**_

_**IttanMomen -Thank you so much! You don't know how happy I am!**_

_**Karla3 -hey, I'm on your fav's list! lol**_

_**Lady-Rinoa - Thank you, and I know you're story will be wonderful!**_

_**Leanne Ashley -I'm in a C2, cool!**_

_**Lowlander -Thanks for adding me!**_

_**Omega Gilgamesh- You gave up? Aww!**_

_**Pretty Like Drugs -lol, I managed to survive!**_

_**REM7 -Thanks, everyone liked that chapter!**_

_**Rin Seren-Thank you! Very dedicated reader!**_

_**Risako-sugaya-Yeah, yeah, I've separated, so tell me if its better, okay?**_

**And also a friend of mine… : P**

_Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this last chapter…and I will really miss writing for Clash of the Gardens. **sighs **Oh well…_

**Subliminal Message**- Between Heaven and Hell-**Subliminal Message**

**lol**

* * *

**Extras---**

Also...there are a lot of funny things in this story. You see...I couldn't upload it right...because I was a newbie and all...and I uploaded a document with about 3 different chapters all typed up on it. (Don't ask me what I was thinking when I first uploaded it in.…who knows!) Anyways, ever since that document was long, I just decided to keep it long. Sorry!

Well, I couldn't decide what genre it should be, so I settled for drama. At least with drama, you can add whatever you like in the mix. For me, I leaned mostly on the comedy side, but there were dramatic, very dramatic scenes in my story...so Drama took the cup.

There's also the pocket gig! You guys didn't notice that almost all the male characters pulled something from their pockets just when they needed it?

lol, there are many different things you can find in the story. I've placed many inside jokes there too. (I'm afraid these jokes may be jokes that only I can get, lol. I'm just kidding.) Anyway, I'd better shut up now.

You've just read my _First _FanFic. I hope you enjoyed it as much as I had fun writing! If anyone has any questions or whatever, just review me. I always answer my reviews. lol….okay. (it's 4:17am so I'd best get myself some rest.) Thank you all. And if I had any horrible mistakes in there...I ask that you please ignore them, for I will eventually redo this story again. (I'm not satisfied with my ending.) Anyway, I'm off!

Thank you!

**:Takes a Bow:** (Again) lol

_**StardustRay**_


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